Silhouette
by Tessenchan
Summary: [In Progress] Rated M for language. InuKag. Kagome returns to the Sengokujidai to find her second home has changed. Suspecting the work of a demon, Kagome must track down Inuyasha and ask for his help but is he willing to aid her after her betrayal?
1. Goodbye to the Days of the Young

Ahem. ::shrugs sheepishly:: New story. ::hides head from reviewers throwing pots and pans:: Gomen ne!! I know I need to work on Inuki and 2bwu, but I just really had to get this written (it was one of those stories that kept going, write me, write me!!) I intend it to be shorter than 2bwu and Inuki; those two are monsters, the longest things I've written to date, lol. This will be a baby story compared to those, here's hoping! Otanoshi kudasai!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Plain and simple.

Silhouette

Chapter One :: Goodbye to the Days of the Young

Kagome hefted her bag over the side of the well with a soft grunt of exertion, letting the weight of it pull itself off the side and back onto the grass. The junior high schooler clambered over the side, lacking the original clumsiness she'd had the first few times she had crossed to the old world. She slipped off the side, mentally preparing herself for the angry hanyou she would soon be greeted by. She had left without his permission this time. Of course, it wasn't as though such an action was without reason. Inuyasha was like a very violent, spoiled brat, though she wasn't sure where that behavior came from.

But he seemed to think that his needs were more important than Kagome's non-existent life, which was steadily passing her by. But God forbid she should try to "escape" for three day's worth of much-needed rest and peace, that only made him attempt to physically restrain her. Of course, it was at that point Kagome usually fulfilled her own strong beliefs, that being screaming a certain single word that could make the hanyou face-plant hard enough into the ground to leave an indentation of his body in the soft dirt. And she typically had no qualms about using said incantation when she felt he deserved it.

After all, the miko had no intentions of wasting all her time in the Sengoku-jidai, while other girls her age were having dates with cute boys and studying for exams into high school. _It's not like I'm never coming back,_ Kagome thought to herself, _I should be allowed to take a break every so often!!_

As she walked through the forest, Kagome noticed that the trees were... different. Trees that had only three days ago been saplings were full grown. The forest was thicker, brush and vines winding between the trees. The air itself felt odd, unlike the air she was used to breathing when she came back to this time. It wasn't filled with smoke or pollens or the likes of Tokyo's air, but... it just didn't seem right. And it sent a shiver down her spine when she realized that the path leading to the village was gone.

_That's weird,_ she mused, trying to quell her unusual worries, _it's like the trail that leads over here was just blocked off. As though no one has been coming over here for years._ With some difficulty, Kagome managed to find the river that ran through the village. It was a geographical landmark after all, unable of being moved. After a half hour of clawing her way through bushes and vines, she stumbled out onto the path, finding that it now led out to the main roads that connected town to town.

Kagome dusted herself off with an air of annoyance, bending to pull off the stickers that stuck to her rumpled socks. _That Inuyasha... he probably did all this. Is he that mad I didn't ask him to go home? The jerk._ Satisfied that she looked fairly human again --even as she pulled out pine needles from her hair-- the 15 year old continued towards the village.

Not ten minutes had passed before she saw a pair of children playing on the road. One of them had a white cloth over his head, with eyes cut out in the front. The other was carrying a large stick that looked almost too big for him to hold, but he didn't seem to mind as he playfully bopped the first child in the head.

"Tessaiga!" the stick-holding child crowed, "There, you filthy Naraku! This is the final blow! Kaze no Kizu!" The first child gasped melodramatically, obviously playing up the death scene. "Argh!! Damn you Inuyasha... You've killed me!" He fell backwards, his feet sticking up in the air and twitching.

The first child was so amused by his friend's antics he collapsed into a heap on the dirt road, laughing hysterically. The first one sat up and tugged off his 'baboon pelt.' "Alright then, now my turn!" he demanded, "I want to be Inuyasha!" Kagome watched the boys trade as she walked by, laughing almost silently to herself. _Impersonating Inuyasha. That's so cute. I wonder whose boys they are; I've never seen them before._

The village was just up ahead, and Kagome made her way in quietly. The village was filled with the usual hustle and bustle; the men farming, the women working in the streets with babies strapped to their backs, the old men and women standing out and about, reminiscing about the good old days. Confusion began to seep into Kagome's mind though, as she made her way to Kaede's home. She didn't recognize any of these people. Not a single one. Worse yet, they seemed to glare upon her with suspicion, and several of the women tugged their young children out of the way, into their homes.

_What is this,_ Kagome wondered, as the confusion began to give way to worry, _Where am I? Who are these people!?_

"Don't move." The voice, a girl's, came from behind her. Kagome froze obediently. _Oh great. This is some serious déjà vu. Suddenly I'm reminded of my first day in this world._ "Who are you?" the girl demanded, "A spy? An assassin??"

"I'm Higura--"

"Don't talk to me with your back turned, intruder! Look at me when I talk to you!"

Kagome cursed under her breath and turned to face the girl. "What kind of tone is that?! You just told me not to move, make up your mind!" Kagome's mouth dropped open the moment the words were out of her mouth.

The girl standing before her was Sango.

Kagome's face paled, and she suddenly couldn't swallow, her mouth dry. She licked her lips to wet them, and then opened her mouth, barely able to form the other girl's name. "San.. Sango-chan?" The girl's eyes widened marginally and her hand went to Hiraikotsu's tether threateningly. "Who the hell are you?" she cried, "How do you know my mother's name?!" Kagome felt as though she had been physically slapped. She raised one eyebrow, mouth hanging open. "Mo... _MOTHER_?!"

Now that she looked closer, the girl obviously wasn't Sango. Their hair was the same style cut, as was common in the past, and mostly the same color. But in the girl Kagome also noticed a little bit of Miroku's characteristics. The same hairline, the same eyes.

_Then this girl is... Sango-chan and Miroku-sama's daughter? What is going on?!_

Abruptly snapping back to focus, Kagome squealed as she realized the girl was rushing toward her, bringing down Hiraikotsu in a powerful attack. She deftly moved to the side, and the spectators who had stopped to watch gasped in awe. Kagome slammed her hand down on Hiraikotsu's edge, holding it down when the girl attempted to tug it out of the ground. "I'm not your enemy!" she cried, and the girl glared at her.

"I haven't decided WHO you are yet! A stranger comes into my hometown knowing the name of my beloved mother and you tell me you are not my enemy?"

"You're like your mother in personality too, not just looks!" Kagome observed, and the girl yanked hard on her bone weapon, throwing Kagome down. "I'm not going to listen to some youkai! Or spy or assassin, whatever you are!" She raised the end of the boomerang, and Kagome winced, preparing for the assault.

"MISA! STOP!"

Kagome blinked. _This voice..._

She looked up and her mouth fell open again. A tall young man had rushed over and was holding up the end of Hiraikotsu, glaring down at the attack-happy girl, who Kagome now realized was named Misa. She knew immediately who he was, even though he was obviously an adult. He was in his twenties, and very handsome, being of a nice height and build. He wore plain clothes that weren't uncommon for the era, but the reddish-brown fur vest over them was. His hair was auburn and shoulder length, even pulled back into a bow.

And he had a long fluffy fox tail.

"Shi.. Shippou-chan.." Kagome whispered. Misa stamped one foot. "Shippou-san, let go! This person just appeared and started talking about my mother! We don't know who she may be!" Without exerting much effort at all, the kitsune tugged Hiraikotsu out of Misa's hands, looking bored with her impertinence. "Don't run around acting like you know how to use this, you brat," he scolded. Instantly Kagome sagged, unimpressed. _He sounds like Inuyasha._

He turned then, and his lean face crinkled. Kagome wasn't sure what the emotions playing over his face were, although she saw a hint of anger amongst them. He reached out, clawed hands taking Kagome's gently and pulling her up. "It's been a long time," he said, his mouth widening into a smile. "You haven't aged at all. Although I seem to recall you being a lot bigger."

Just happy to see a familiar face, all the emotions that had been toiling and bubbling underneath Kagome's surface exploded out frantically. "Shi.. Shippou-chan! What's going on?! I don't understand! Why are you an adult?! Sango-chan has a DAUGHTER?! Where is everyone!?!"

Shippou's eyebrows knitted in uncertainty before he finally said, "Kagome... What do you mean? Of course everything's going to be different. It's been twenty years since you left."

Kagome gasped sharply. _What?!_ "Twenty years?!"

.n.

It was with great reluctance that Misa allowed Kagome into her house. Shippou insisted, and apparently Shippou meant a great deal to Misa, as she obeyed him without question. Evil glares, maybe, but without question.

Kagome walked the entire distance with her hand to her mouth. Shippou had taken her bag from her so she wouldn't have to deal with its weight, but a brand-new weight beset her small shoulders. From the moment she'd stepped out onto the grass in this time, things had been wonky. She realized now that the feeling she'd had when she arrived, of even the air feeling strange, had been the passing of twenty years in this time.

_What does this mean?_ she wondered helplessly, _I'm so confused. It was only three days ago when I said goodbye to everyone and went home. But it's been twenty years here! Shippou-chan was a little boy, and now he's all grown up...! Sango-chan and Miroku-sama have a child..._ Suddenly the one person she thought should have been first in her mind appeared there.

"Shippou-chan! What about Inuyasha? What happened to him?"

Shippou glanced down at her with wide blue eyes and then looked ahead, seeming indifferent to the subject matter. "Inuyasha left about 2 years after you never came back. He just couldn't deal with it anymore. I haven't seen him since." Kagome looked down at her feet, her face a mask of glazed shock. _Inuyasha's.. not here._ At her sides her fists clenched into tiny balls. _He waited for me for 2 whole years...?_

"I'm sorta glad though," Shippou's voice broke into her thoughts, bringing her back to this sudden harsh reality. "If you'd seen the way he was, it would have made you cry." Kagome blinked then, puzzlement sifting through her glaze. "Why?" Shippou looked sadly at her. "Inuyasha was so.. lost without you. The only thing that even remotely seemed like the way he used to be was finding Naraku. And then when we killed him, even that was gone." He set her bag down as they entered Misa's house, holding open the door for her. "We're here."

Kagome walked into the dim room hesitantly, each step sounding heavy and distant, like it was someone else's footsteps. Misa had disappeared to the back of the house, slipping through the next door. Shippou went to poke the embers in the hearth back to life, setting some wood on the low fire. From the next room there was the thudding of running feet, and abruptly, in the doorway, was a woman. She looked just like Sango, except for the few lines in her face, and the sprinkling of gray hairs, and the little bit of weight she had gained, and there was no way this person was...

"Sango-chan!" Kagome's voice didn't sound like her voice anymore, the sound strangled and hoarse, disappearing into the air like dust on a high wind. The bowl Sango was holding fell to the floor with a crash, the lines in her face deepening as she stared, bewildered, at Kagome's form in the doorway.

_This can't be real..._ Kagome told herself again, _I must be dreaming. Sango-chan looks like she's about my mother's age!_

"This can't be real," Sango said, voicing Kagome's inner thoughts, "It's really you, Kagome-chan?" She smiled then, her shoulders sagging. "You don't look any older than the day you left! How do you do it?" She looked down at herself. "I obviously haven't been told the secret you were!"

"Haha-ue, then... this woman really is Kagome-sama?" Misa demanded, and Sango nodded, stepping forward. "Misa, please put on some tea. Send Kohaku to fetch your father, as well." Misa looked indignant, apparently still unsure of Kagome's intentions or the truth of the miko's claims. But ever the obedient daughter she turned, snatching up a bowl to get water, and stomped out of the house.

Sango tugged at Kagome's hand, gesturing for the girl to sit at her side. She smiled. "So... twenty years. What have you been doing all this time?"

"Sango-chan, it wasn't... I mean, I don't know what's happened, but for me, it was only three days!" Sango's eyes narrowed and she tilted her head, looking like a dog listening to a sound only he could hear. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Kagome began, "That three days ago, I went home to study for a test and restock on supplies. I was only gone for three whole days!" Sango shook her head, insistent. "No. You left and you never came back. It's been twenty years since then."

Kagome made a soft defeated sound, wringing her hands. Everything was different, as if she hadn't gone through the same well and landed in the same place that was home to the ones she held dearest. Even that which felt familiar was so different that it no longer felt right. Within the course of an hour, her entire world had been knocked askew.

Kagome hung her head, leaning against her clasped hands. Sango left her be for a short while, tending to other things around her home. It seemed like hours before a rustling at the door roused the miko from her quiet state of thinking. She lifted her head, praying to God that she had been napping and that her eyes would find Inuyasha's annoyed face in front of hers, demanding she wake up before he threw her in the river.

Instead she saw Miroku, looking much like Sango did: his hair was graying, and lines drew age across his face. His face seemed even wiser than it had been in his youth, twenty more years of experience taking its effect on him. Kagome was no longer shocked to see another one of the people she cared about aged further than they should have been; she simply sighed and lowered her head. _That's right, Miroku-sama would be almost forty now, wouldn't he..._

Miroku on the other hand, was as surprised as Sango had been, although he exhibited it less. It was in his voice though. "Kagome-sama!"

The miko didn't respond. She heard Sango reply from across the room, her words accented by an occasional _ting_ when the ladle hit the side of the pot. "She's been like that for nearly an hour. She was really surprised to see Shippou and myself the way we are now." Her voice took on a hint of anger. "It's as though she thought twenty years wouldn't have an effect."

"I'm telling you," Kagome began, her voice muffled against her shirt, "It was only a few days for me!!" She jerked her head up, glaring at her friends. Tears prickled her eyes. "It wasn't twenty years for me!! Can't you tell?! I still look the same!! Time didn't pass in my time like it did here! Something's happened!"

Miroku knelt then, reaching out and taking Kagome's shoulder, patting it with a reassuring firmness that sparked a flicker of familiarity in the miko. He hadn't really changed, it seemed; Miroku had always been firm and kind. "Kagome-sama, don't fret so. Calm down. It will be alright." Sango tilted her head empathetically, her voice soothing things over. "I didn't mean it badly, Kagome-chan. It's just.. when you never came back, without even a word of goodbye..." She turned back to the stew she was cooking. "I suppose I felt a bit of resentment."

"We all did," Shippou admitted, his deepened voice sounding very harsh to Kagome's ears. It was strange hearing such a cruel tone coming from her little Shippou's mouth. But then, he didn't really seem like Shippou anymore either.

Kagome reached up and wiped away the tears that threatened to spill onto her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I don't understand what's going on, but whatever it is... it's real. You're all here, and your feelings are real. And if you feel resentment because I never came home.." She looked up at all three of them, her face crinkling. "I'm so, so sorry."

The three of them paused. Finally, Sango turned to her. Tears glittered in her eyes as well. "It's okay." Miroku nodded. "There's no way we couldn't forgive you."

"Yeah..." Shippou said, looking much like Inuyasha did when he was trying to avoid showing emotion, "I guess I'm just happy to have you back."

Kagome nodded gratefully, lowering her head. After taking a deep breath and collecting herself she looked up. "I know this is because of... something. A spell, or a youkai. Something. And whatever it is, I'm going to find it. I have to return to my real time... our real time. And I'm going to come home this time." A weak smile found its way onto her face.

"I promise."

...To be continued

a/n :: So? What do you think? Let me know!

**Haha-ue** - mother. Extremely polite. I thought about Misa calling her parents Okaasama and Otousama, but both Miroku and Sango addressed their fathers as "Chichi-ue" so I used the same format with their children.

Arigatou to my wondermous beta, Aile Anna-sama, who puts up with staying up into the wee hours of the morning to correct my spelling and pull the kinks out of my flow! Huggles!!

;p

.Tessen.


	2. Memories of That Day

I'm sorry for the lack of updates, minna-san. Check my profile for details. (if you still care by this point and aren't looking for a way to come to Tampa and torture me until I _beg_ to be barraged by bad fanfiction and the English dub. ::runs away:: )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Plain and simple.

Silhouette  
Chapter Two :: Memories of That Day

Not long after Miroku had returned, Sango served a plain dinner of rice and fish stew. As it turned out "Kohaku" was not Sango's brother Kohaku, but her son. The ex-taijiya had named her firstborn son after her dear little brother, whom Kohaku Jr. announced with a bittersweet pride that his uncle had perished in battle with Naraku long before he was born.

It seemed to Kagome that the moment Sango peeked her head out the door to holler that dinner was ready, that the whole village came by to eat, because within ten minutes, Miroku, Sango, Shippou and six others were seated in the floor of the home, eating. Of course, it was mostly Kagome's surprise that augmented the truth of the situation.

_I've missed so much,_ she thought to herself, _Miroku-sama and Sango-chan's wedding.. the births of their children… Six of them, even.. The whole village has changed, Shippou-chan grew up. I'm not sure if I want to see Inuyasha or not…_

"Here."

She was broken from her thoughts by Kohaku. He was a tall young man of a lean build like his father, with black hair and Sango's brown eyes. He was holding out a bowl for her, his mouth in a broad smile. She nodded her head, taking the bowl gratefully and sipping at it. After a moment she noticed he was sitting next to her, but wasn't eating. "Kohaku-kun," she began, "You're not going to eat?"

"Haha-ue only made enough for us like usual, so I'm giving you mine," he admitted, and seeing the protest on her face, raised a hand. "It's rude for all of us to eat dinner while our guest has none at all. Besides, I could go out and get a wild pig if I was truly hungry. Please eat."

Kagome nodded and sipped at the broth a bit longer. Across the room, the others were giggling and chattering. She noticed the two boys who were playing in the street when she first arrived were also on the floor, eating and talking. _I should have known whose they were. They look just like Miroku-sama._

"Those are my younger brothers, Minoru and Satoru," Kohaku told her, noticing her interest in them. "They just turned eleven." He smiled, pointing to the next oldest boy. "That's Choumei, next after Misa. He's thirteen." Sitting next to Shippou was Misa, listening to the fox talk as though everything that came from his mouth was golden. "My sister Misa you know. She's sixteen. Last but not nearly least is my baby sister Suzuno. She's six." He said this as the youngest wandered up to them. Suzuno had finished eating and now settled herself in Kohaku's lap, clutching the young man's clothes as though afraid he may suddenly vanish.

Kohaku whispered soft consolations to the little girl as she turned her wide brown eyes on Kagome, as if she were just waiting for the miko to attempt something horrific. Kohaku smiled at Kagome. "This one has a special attachment to me. And don't worry, she'll be used to you eventually. She doesn't take well to strangers at first."

Kagome nodded vaguely, not really hearing him. "Special attachment, you said? How come?"

Kohaku patted Suzuno, who was quickly finding her way into sleep, on the back and shifted her from one side of his lap to the other. "I'm not sure. Haha-ue was ill right after her birth, for quite some time as a matter of fact. Chichi-ue was out of town performing an exorcism, and Kaede-obaachan had died two years previously, so it was up to me to take care of the baby. She just agreed with me, I suppose."

It tugged at Kagome's heartstrings to hear Kaede-baachan had passed away. Yet another thing she failed to be there for. She couldn't help but blame herself, even though she knew for a fact that she had only gone home for three days. There was no way she could have known what was going on over on this side of the well.

But it still hurt.

"I feel horrible," she admitted to the young man, "Your mother and I were best friends. I went home for only a few days, but here.. somehow.." She trailed off, laying her head against her forearms. "I was supposed to watch all six of you grow up. Technically, Kohaku-kun, I'm seventeen years older than you. Or, I'm supposed to be. Instead, you're about the same age your father was when we met, while I'm still…"

Kohaku was quiet for a moment, whether he didn't know what to say or was just being silent for her sake, Kagome wasn't sure. Suzuno whimpered in her sleep and the teenager rubbed her back soothingly. Then he turned back to Kagome. "Could it be a youkai's doing?"

She raised her head to look at him, her eyebrows raised. Kohaku smiled mischievously, as if he'd known she wouldn't expect him to be knowledgeable and felt amusement at her surprise. "My mother was a taijiya in her younger days. Misa and I are well trained in the art of demon-slaying." Kagome opened her mouth slightly, giving a knowing nod.

Kohaku rubbed his chin pensively. "But I can't really think of any sort of youkai who deals with time. There aren't many that do such spells."

"Why?" Kagome wondered and Kohaku narrowed his eyes. "It's a theory really. Time is so powerful. Such an unchanging thing, yet it changes so much. For one to have any sort of control over it, they must either be extremely powerful, or unable to use it correctly. Using your own power to bend time to your will… It can be a very life-threatening thing."

Kagome drew away, her eyes finding the holes in the floorboards. She stared at them blankly, not seeing them. _Life-threatening…? Does that mean that whoever did this spell may already be dead? What do I do then?_

"What are you two talking about, hm?" At the sound of Sango's voice, both Kohaku and Kagome looked up. The ex-taijiya was squatting on her haunches in front of them, a small smile on her face. Kohaku looked up eagerly. "Haha-ue. Kagome-sama and I were just chatting. Nothing in particular, really."

"I see," Sango said, slapping her knees with a hint of finality. "I hate to break up the wonderful in-depth conversation, but I need to steal Kagome-chan away. Kohaku, would you please get the children into bed?"

"Of course, Haha-ue," Kohaku replied, clutching Suzuno carefully as he pulled himself to his feet. He roused the twins from their playful chatter with Shippou and gave a gentle tug on Choumei's ponytail, and the 3 boys gave a whine of annoyance when told it was time for bed. But obediently they followed Kohaku into the next room over, while Misa straightened up the area around the hearth.

Shippou stretched out, leaning into his palm and looking more and more like Inuyasha every time he made a move. And more and more, it made Kagome miss the silver-haired hanyou. As she followed Sango back by the fire, she wrung her hands in accordance to the painful clenches in her chest.

_Inuyasha… The more I think about him, the more I miss him and want to see him. But… I don't know if I want to see him the way he is now. Miroku-sama and Sango-chan and Shippou-chan have all… And I don't know if I could handle seeing him like this…_

"Kagome-sama?"

She snapped back into focus, bowing her head apologetically. "Sorry, Miroku-sama. Just.. still a little dazed." Miroku nodded understandingly. From where she was, Misa snorted a bit and Sango finally glared at her eldest daughter. "Misa, I've had enough of that attitude. You've been rude ever since Kagome-chan came. If you can't behave, then go help your brother with the children, please."

Misa looked offended by her mother's scolding, but stood and stomped to the next room with her brother. Sango let out a deep sigh and then looked at Kagome, her features regretful. "I'm sorry about her actions towards you, Kagome-chan. I don't know what's gotten into her."

Kagome shook her head. "I'm sorry too. I've been so distant the past while… This whole thing seems like some sort of nightmare." She bit the inside of her cheek. "Everything and everyone's changed so much, I feel like if I take a single step forward, the ground will fall out from under me."

"Are you talking about Inuyasha?" Miroku wondered aloud, and Kagome blinked at him a moment, astonished that he had guessed it so flawlessly. Then she nodded quietly. "I want to see him. I want to talk to him, to make sure he understands what happened… why I didn't come back. But at the same time, I don't want to see him like this, resentful and sad. I don't want to know if he hates me now."

She looked up at them. "You probably think I'm being selfish, don't you?" Miroku's gaze softened encouragingly. "It is selfish, but then it is alright to be selfish sometimes. I understand your feelings, and don't blame you if facing Inuyasha now seems too difficult."

Sango smiled her concurrence, and Kagome nodded her thanks. She took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and then looked at Miroku solemnly. "For now, I just want to think about what's in front of me. If we were able to come up with something that would give us a clue… Anything that might explain why this happened, I just know we would be able to restore our proper time."

"Actually," the houshi began, "I believe I have an idea." At Shippou and Sango's obvious surprise, he looked up at his wife, eyes narrowed with a seriousness he rarely had anymore. "Sango, do you remember the day after Kagome-sama left?"

"The day after.." Sango sat back on her knees, arms crossed as she began to think back. Shippou also looked to the ceiling, expression thoughtful in his effort to remember. They both hit it at the same time. "That's right, that woman!"

"Exactly," Miroku said, and Kagome blinked, looking back and forth between her friends with an air of perplexity. "Huh? What? What woman?"

"I've been thinking about it since you came back today, and this is the only encounter I can recall. The day after you left, I went to the well. At the time I wasn't really sure, but I felt the distinct aura of jyaki near it," Miroku told the befuddled miko. "Sango and Shippou were with me, and Inuyasha was already there, as he often was when you were away."

"There was a woman," Sango continued, "She looked like any ordinary woman, except for the feeling of evil she gave off. Well, that and the enormous sand bottle she held."

"Sand bottle?" Kagome repeated, perplexed. _What's a sand bottle? What does that have to do with time… An hourglass!?_

Miroku nodded, sipping his tea. He set the cup down and continued where his wife had left off. "When we approached her, she turned to face us, and before saying anything, started attacking…"

.n.

The oni-woman threw out her hand, a stream of sand shooting from the end of it. Miroku and Sango dodged nimbly to the side, leaving Inuyasha to block the hot grains from hitting himself and Shippou. Once the scorching torrent had ended, the hanyou brought down his sword, sending a fierce glare at the woman. "Who the hell are you, you bitch?! You stink of Naraku!!"

The woman smirked, sending another rush of white-hot sand at Inuyasha. Shippou gave a squeal, darting into a sea of silver hair as Inuyasha again brought the Tessaiga up as a protective shield. The oni woman ran around to the opposite side of the well, pulling a talisman from her sash. Miroku and Sango had obviously been forgotten, as their attack took the woman completely by surprise.

She shrieked in agony as her left arm was shattered underneath the crushing weight of Hiraikotsu. With her good arm she brought up the large glass bottle she held, swinging it forcefully at Sango. The taijiya backed away to protect herself, but Miroku ducked underneath it, jabbing the oni-woman in the stomach with the gold-headed shakujou.

She coughed, stumbling backwards, her upper lip curled in a snarl. "You bastards…"

"KAZE NO KIZU!"

The woman cursed under her breath and ducked behind the well, a wall of sand encasing her and dissipating the destructive wave of golden energy. The moment she let down the wall, Sango swung in from the side, slamming the woman with her bone weapon.

With a pained cry the oni-woman flew through the air, sailing a good way from the well before crashing to the ground. The large glass bottle she had refused to put down for even a moment was thrown from her hands, and she gasped, reaching out for it. "Chronos!"

She leapt back as Tessaiga swung at her, ripping away the back of her kimono and sending a blast of kenatsu that threw her to the ground. There, on the otherwise flawless skin of her back, was the jagged burn scar in the shape of a spider. Naraku's mark.

"She's one of Naraku's detachments!!" Miroku declared, and the woman smirked at them "So what," she said, her first words to them since they'd found her chanting near the well. Inuyasha held Tessaiga threateningly in front of him, his chest rumbling with a deep growl that promised painful death for the oni. "What the hell did Naraku send you for, huh??"

The woman's face was blank of emotion at his question, neither hatred nor hostility reaching her eyes, but she made no sound, obviously not intending to reply. With a quickness that startled all of them, she flipped backwards onto her feet, bringing her hands out.

Long jagged claws grew from her fingertips, and before he'd made a sound, she jabbed behind her, raking Miroku's stomach as the houshi had attempted to attack her from behind. Sango cursed at the oni-woman, swinging Hiraikotsu towards her head. The villain caught the end of it and shoved back, catching Sango in the chest and knocking the breath out of her.

"Sango!" Miroku crawled over to the taijiya, clutching his own wound as he cradled her into his lap. Looking up, the woman realized the only thing standing between herself and her sand bottle was Inuyasha, and she charged him. Fruitlessly, as somehow Miroku saw what was coming before it had happened.

"Eat this!! Kaze no KIZU!"

Seconds later, the body of the woman lay against the well, crumpled and defeated, bleeding and dying. She coughed, grinning up at Inuyasha. The unmitigated amusement in the witch's grin startled the hanyou. "What the hell are you smiling for?!"

"You blame me, "she said, her voice grating as red filled her mouth, colored her lips. "You wanna know what I was here for? I came to seal the well, to keep that woman Naraku-sama hates so much from you. But I was already too late. She's made her decision."

She coughed again, small hands clutching the front of her tattered kimono, at her torn and wounded chest. She glared back at Inuyasha, her eyes blazing as though what she was saying was some sort of ominous premonition. "She won't be coming back for you, hanyou. Kagome sealed the well."

.n.

Kagome stared at Miroku, eyes wide in mild horror. _She's made her decision. Kagome sealed the well… _Her fists tightened around the hem of her skirt. "You mean she made it sound as though I was the one who CHOSE not to come home?!"

"Yes," the houshi replied. His grave expression, defined by the lines in his face, softened sadly. "It was after that that you didn't come back. Inuyasha tried to go through the well, like he used to do when you were late, to bring you back, but the well wouldn't open. It didn't let him through anymore."

Sango folded her hands in her lap, lowering her face. Her tone was soft, as though she knew what she was about to say would not be something Kagome would want to hear, but more that she needed to hear it. "Inuyasha was devastated. For the longest time, he didn't really give a damn about anything anymore. It was the three of us who talked him back to his normal self long enough to kill Naraku. And then…"

"As time passed we realized more and more youkai were being drawn to the village," Miroku stated, changing the subject. "We came to the conclusion that they were drawn to the feelings of the jyaki that the sand bottle was giving off. In order to hold them off, we sealed the hourglass and sent it away."

"Why not destroy it?" Kagome wondered, and Shippou shook his head. "Tried that. Inuyasha Kaze no Kizu'd it a few times, but it didn't even scratch it one bit."

Kagome swallowed, going over the new information in her mind. An hourglass which couldn't be destroyed, and an oni-woman whom her friends had killed twenty years before. The spell was still working, so did that mean it wasn't the woman who had to be destroyed, but the hourglass?

And it couldn't be destroyed.

"Where is the hourglass now? If you killed the oni who cast the spell and it didn't break the curse, then maybe it's the hourglass that needs to be taken care of. If I can… what?" Kagome finally stopped talking when she realized everyone had suddenly become even gloomier than before.

"We knew that the hourglass would have to be protected for a long time. Only a youkai could have it, someone who would be able to watch it for the rest of time," Miroku told her, and Sango tilted her head empathetically, pityingly. "Inuyasha was so.. he didn't do much of anything anymore. So he volunteered.. to…"

Shippou put it into blunt, simple words as it seemed he had grown to do. "The hourglass is with Inuyasha."

Kagome caught her breath. _Inuyasha… It's with him. _

_In order to break the spell, I have to get the hourglass… And in order to get that I have to see him…_

_What do I do now?_

…To be continued

a/n :: In the god-awful lengthy intervals between her updates, Tess learned a new trick, which is writing an outline. Oh yes! A MAP for a story. Yay! I didn't do that with Inuki or 2bwu which is why they seem to drag in places. But this one should be fairly short. If I can just continue to WRITE the damn thing.

Soooo.. ::muses with ebil grin on her face:: I just love to force the angst, don't I? I'm gonna MAKE Kagome go see Inuyasha. Mua ha. (Of course I am, is no fun if we don't get to play with the hanyou-kun! ;p ) I am a cruel little author, but if you think I'm bad now, wait till my original stuff gets published. I torture my main charries with great glee. I laugh at their pain. ;p

Thank you for the reviews, they really do help. (And sorry Im late. Again. ::bows:: )

Geminia (Thank you! It will most certainly be continued, even if I have to drag myself off my deathbed to do so. ::determined:: )

Aile Anna (I lubs you whether you can spell or not. ::hug:: )

Inu Faceness (::pat pat:: I promise Inuyasha will be here. Drink some water and take a few deep breaths.)

Valdimarian (Thanks for reading. I'll do my best to answer everything you asked. I hope a few were answered here. If not, well, there's still about 8-10 chapters to go, lol)

BakaBokken (No, not dead. :) Just in a coma.)

jgirl79 (I promise not to forget Inuki-kun! I lubs him! He's being a pesky little doggie right now though. I cant seem to get the 21st chapter written. TT;;; )

szmadad (Yeah, it sucks, doesn't it? As for Inuyasha.. well, you'll see…)

PatrioticPuppy (Thanks!;p )

Camigwen (Sorry about the paragraphs. I changed the formatting right before I posted. Bad Kaen!)

Kainaku Hotaru (POCKY! ::glomps the pocky:: Thank you for the compliment, I'm glad you enjoy my writing so much.)

Priestess kurumi inu's sister (Uhm.. Okie! Yes! I will. lol)

Avid Reader (Wow, you really liked it. You posted the same review twice. lol Thanks for reading. ;p )

Black Betty (Me?? Write a tearjerker? ::ebil grin:: I would never do such a thing. ;p )

x-cleverclaws-x (Thanks for reading. I'm glad you liked it.)

;p  
.Tessen.


	3. Eclipse of the Heart

Thank you for your understanding, everyone. I appreciate your support and prayers for my mother and our family more than I can say. My mother is currently going through chemo in a last ditch effort to kill the cancer, and we're all hopeful and continuing to pray. I will continue to write when I have the time, at Mom's insistence. Again, thank you for your never-ending understanding and support.

On-topic, what you have here is Silhouette chapter three, obviously! : ) I'm glad you guys are enjoying this so far. There's more angst and Tessen-being-mean-to-her-muses in this chapter, and in the chapters to come! Please forgive the lateness of Inuki; I finally managed to uncover the road Im taking in that story, but am still hitting every pothole there is to be hit. TT;;; I will try to have it up before the end of the century, okay? ;p

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Plain and simple.

Silhouette

Chapter Three :: Eclipse of the Heart

The color of the sky began to slowly brighten from a starless black to cloudy gray as the sun rose, shimmering gold light around the endless clouds that had drawn over the small village. They seemed to hover over a particular house, and tell of the mood that most everyone within the small hut were experiencing. Kagome was convinced it was her own uncertainty and grief that had summoned the impending storm.

She lay on her side, a blanket pulled up nearly over her head. She curled up in the fetal position, arms locked around herself. Her heart ached painfully within her, the miko feeling as though it would shatter if she took a breath. She felt like crying out all the frustration, all the sadness, but the tears wouldn't come.

The same way the rains hadn't yet fallen, neither would the tears.

_The hourglass is with Inuyasha. I know that if I go to him, my presence will stir up painful feelings for him. I don't want to see him. But if I ever want to get back to my normal time… what passes for normal for me, anyway… I have to get back that hourglass._

_I feel so lost. I wish Inuyasha were here. My Inuyasha. Just seeing him the way he was would help strengthen me._

Kagome…

_Inuyasha?_

Kagome!

_Inuyasha!!!_

"Kagome-sama, wake up!"

Kagome snapped awake, unaware that she had been asleep. Kohaku was leaning over her, his youthful face concerned. Concern for her. She sat up, rubbing at her eyes, still feeling sleepy. Of course, she hadn't been able to sleep all night, the dark bags under her eyes proving that. But somehow, going over her situation in her mind had allowed her the ability to slip into slumber. _Well of course it did. It's exhausting, thinking about this._

"_Ohayo_, Kohaku-kun…"

"You were mumbling in your sleep. Was it a nightmare?" the teenager asked, and she shrugged, forcing a half-smile. "Something or another. I don't really remember much of it. I'm okay now though." He nodded vaguely, and she could tell by his expression he didn't believe her. He didn't push it though and she silently thanked him for it. His mouth broadened in a grin instead.

"I was about to go fishing. It's really peaceful where Chichi-ue takes me, and I thought, with everything you've had to deal with since yesterday, that you might not mind coming with me? It might help clear your head." Kagome glanced back at him, eyebrows raised. Then she smiled. "Sure."

.n.

The overcast sky made for a distantly warm day, the air around the two teenagers more chilly than it was anything else. Every so often, a breeze would rustle the tree tops, sifting gentle winds that felt as though they were laced with ice past Kagome and Kohaku. A cloud would shift, uncovering the sun and warming one patch of ground, and then another would take its place, bringing back the soft cold.

After walking for what seemed forever through the woods, they came to a bunching of willow trees. Within the curtain-like branches Kagome could hear the bubbling and gurgling of water. "In here," Kohaku told her, holding up the willow tree's long limbs so Kagome step through.

She caught her breath at the beauty of it. There were 4 willows in all; two of them on either shore standing over the river vigilantly, their branches caught in the slow current. The leaves rustled together with the wind, the quiet noise being the only sound other than an orchestra of a few birds twittering every now and then in nature's cheerful symphony. The shade created by the branches was especially dark; _Probably,_ Kagome thought, _because of the clouds…_

Without saying anything as Kagome settled herself by the stream, Kohaku walked over to the shore and got into the shallows, waiting hands held up as he inched forward, silty mud squishing through his toes. Kagome pulled off her shoes and socks, laying them nearby and slipping her feet into the water, kicking lightly at the still waters.

Kohaku was a good fisherman, his hands easily darting into the waters and snatching up an unlucky fish. It wasn't long before he'd snatched five, and he grinned at Kagome proudly. The miko applauded his efforts with a genuine smile, as he looked especially like Miroku with that incredible grin he had. It brought back good memories.

As he climbed from the water, five fish in tow, Kagome looked up at him from her place on the ground. "What are the fish for, just out of curiosity's sake?" Kohaku opened his mouth to reply just as Kagome felt a caress on her rear end. A particularly familiar caress that was part rubbing, part squeezing. With a squeal she leapt up, twisting to see who was behind her.

Choumei, Miroku and Sango's second son, had a mischievous grin spread on his young face, his right hand twitching reflexively. Behind him were the twins Minoru and Satoru, both stifling giggles with their hands clapped over their mouths. Kagome gaped at the boy, eyes narrowed and brows raised in an expression of outright horror that a boy of thirteen was groping women.

"Forgive my little brother, Kagome-sama, he inherited the more.. delinquent side of our father." Kohaku, as the oldest brother, was trying to look disappointed and reprimand his younger sibling, but was too busy suppressing his laughter at Kagome's reaction. He cleared his throat. "Choumei, you know better," he snickered, and Choumei shrugged. "She's got a nice butt."

"Now you look here!!!" Kagome jumped to her feet, skirt flaring as she stamped one bare foot. "I'm older than you! How can you just start groping your elders like that!"

"I'm thirteen years old," he argued in his defense, "And you're younger than my SISTER. Not that big of an age difference." Kagome's flair was lost immediately. The child was right. Now, in this time, she was younger than she was supposed to be.

_How old would I be? 35, almost 36. She winced as she wondered what she would look like as she started catching up to her forties. Then the wince went away as she realized she probably wouldn't look much different than Sango did now. She watched as the boys went to a small spot not far from the river, where fist-sized rocks were laid in a circle, the ground within the circle already blackened dust and soot. It didn't take much thought to realize that they came here often, the frequent fires allowing not even the smallest blade of grass to grow within the barrier of rocks._

Taking up her shoes and socks, she walked over and sat by Kohaku. Without really knowing what she would say, she began to speak. "Kohaku-kun, did your parents talk about me?"

Kohaku blinked, as if confused by the sudden question, but continued his task of lancing the fish he'd caught to set over the fire. "They did. Often. Haha-ue less than Chichi-ue, but only because I think that for a long time, she was still mad at you."

"What about Shippou-chan?"

The young man shook his head. "He never did."

Kagome's heart sank as she came to realization that Shippou had also had a great deal of hurt and anger baggage with her name all over it. She had sensed it the night before, but she hadn't comprehended its depth. Even now, she knew she didn't understand it, but…

"And Inuyasha?"

Choumei looked at her funny, as though he was wondering why she was interrogating them and not someone older, who had been old enough at the time to be involved. Kohaku, mature male figure that he was, just shook his head. "I never met Inuyasha. I might've been around him as a baby, but since I learned to form coherent thought, never." He and his brothers cracked smiles as he passed over the phrase about coherent thought, but its mirth passed by Kagome without looking back.

"I see," she said, her face drooping. _I had hoped someone might've been able to tell me what he was like… Someone who was apart from the group…_

The boys ate in quiet chit-chat, giggling and talking amongst themselves. Off in her own world, Kagome pondered her dilemma. It was an obvious problem, being trapped in a warped reality in which your closest friends resent you, and Kagome knew a thing or two about warped realities. This was awful to the enth degree, and she knew the only way to fix it was to face her fears.

Face Inuyasha.

And she'd never been good at facing either, her fears or Inuyasha. Especially when what she was facing dealt with both of them.

She was so afraid. Afraid that she wouldn't be able to find him. Afraid that if she did, that he wouldn't want anything to do with her. She knew how he was, and she knew his past history with being betrayed. Inuyasha had hated Kikyou with all his heart when he thought she'd been the one to betray him. Kagome wasn't sure she would be able to bear him telling her he hated her.

But if she could get the hourglass from him, she could fix this. They would be able to escape this nightmarish reality and go back to their time.

Kagome clenched her fists. "Kohaku-kun?"

He tended the fire, not really looking up at her even though she knew he was listening. "Yes?"

"Do you know where Inuyasha lives?"

It took a millisecond before the words sank in, and the eighteen-year-old turned to look at her. She felt a great release at the expression on the young man's face, a great wash of relief replacing the cumbersome weight on her shoulders. He looked sympathetic and… proud? He understood why this was a big deal for her. Silently she thanked him, and then promised herself that she would have to thank him for real next time.

"No, I don't," he admitted, but before Kagome's hopes could be shattered, he added, "But I know who does."

.n.

"ARE YOU INSANE?!"

Kagome closed her eyes, slamming foreign barriers into place. She couldn't, wouldn't, handle this from the adult kit. He had no right to demand anything from her, not really. Even though everything inside her screamed that he did. After all, she abandoned him…

_I didn't! I only left for three days!!! This is an illusion!_

"Haven't you caused enough hurt?" Shippou demanded, his clawed hands clenching. His eyes quivered with anger, shimmering with wetness that couldn't yet be called tears, and they glittered icy blue with it. "When you left twenty years ago, it damn near killed him! Killed all of us!! And you want to do it again?"

"Shippou." Miroku admonished, but the kit didn't stop.

"What do you think it's going to do to him when you suddenly show up? You think its going to be flowers and rainbows and a dulcet choir of birdies?! Think again, Kagome! What you did drove a blade right into our hearts, especially Inuyasha's! He's not going to be happy and leap into your arms or anything."

Kagome looked up at him, her fists tightening. Pleadingly she looked up at Shippou, searching his face to try and find in the hardened adult some semblance of her little kit. He quieted long enough for her to get her say out, and she took full advantage. "Shippou-chan, I need to see him!! I know what his seeing me will do to him, but I need to see him! I'm being selfish, I know, but I need to know what's happened in his life! I need to know how he is!"

"You wanna know how he is? I'll tell you how he was the last time I saw him. He stayed outside by the well day in and day out. Didn't eat much, didn't sleep except when he passed out from exhaustion. He waited for you till he got sick over it." Shippou said bluntly, "That should be a good enough image in your selfish little head of how he is!"

Instantly Kagome paled, drawing back physically as though Shippou had struck her. She told herself not to cry, don't cry, don't cry, but the mantra ended when she realized again, that she didn't want to. The urge to cry was there, but the tears were not.

Like the rain that still had refused to fall.

"Shippou!!" Sango yelled, finally losing her patience. The auburn-haired teenager spun on his second set of adoptive parents. His temper finally snapped. "WHAT?! We can't sugarcoat this! She needs to know what happened! She's asking for it!"

"Not in the great detail that you insist on putting on it," Miroku scolded. Shippou cursed violently, going to his feet in an instant. "This pisses me off! You guys have been coddling her since yesterday! You felt the same way when she didn't come back! How can you just forget the past twenty years?!"

"Shippou!"

The kitsune glowered down at the miko, who was hunkered in on herself, her hands to her face. "Don't take this wrong, Kagome, because I _am_ glad you're back. But you can't expect me to just forget that you abandoned us! And don't expect Inuyasha to forget it either!"

And with that he stormed from the house. Sango and Miroku kept quiet, and the only sounds in the small house were the crackling and popping of the burning wood in the hearth.

Kagome still did not cry.

.n.

The orange light of sunset had shifting into that of navy twilight when Kagome finally decided to look for Shippou. She wandered the forest, her ears perked for any sounds that were Shippou-like. It was difficult, not only because she wasn't a youkai with enhanced senses or a hunter who was attuned to such noises, but because the air still felt off, like the first few days after a room is remodeled.

Somehow she could feel it in the air and the auras of the villagers. The trees themselves gave off an older feeling, and she picked up on it. It was disturbing and uncomfortable.

A sound piqued her curiosity, and as quietly as she could, the miko made her way towards the river. She knew she'd hit paydirt when the eerie blue glow of kitsunebi lit her path, and she looked up at Shippou, who was sitting on the shore, his head turned over his shoulder to look at her.

She followed the blue-lit lead, and went to sit by the kit. He was about as big as Inuyasha now, but still had his own mannerisms. The way he sat, the half-bored expression on his face, the rhythm at which his tail swung. Even the way his did his hair --even if it was longer now-- still fell the same way. It was like a very big version of her chibi fox.

He was skipping rocks, flinging a couple of them with such force that they didn't even skip, just dove straight under the surface. He cursed quietly when they did so before scooping up another rock to try his hand at.

"Shippou-chan…"

"Hn?" The sound was a grunt, more or less. He still sounded pretty upset.

"I'm sorry. I've been saying it since I got here, what more do you want me to say?"

She looked up at him. He was staring at her, much in the way Inuyasha used to: his face entirely blank as he quietly contemplated her. Slowly his broad shoulders rose and fell. "I'm not sure. It feels really empty in here, you know?" He tapped his chest, the place over his heart. "I guess I was just hoping that if you said sorry enough, if I yelled at you enough for it, it would fill it up."

"I get that," she whispered, "I feel really hollow right now. Like a shell."

"Why?"

Kagome drew her knees up to her chest, stretching her arms over her knees. "I feel displaced. I just fell into this world, and I feel like it's not my home anymore. You and the others, even the environment, all changed. It doesn't seem right. And no matter what…" She lowered her face. "I can't seem to cry about it."

Shippou nodded, and cocked his arms, slinging another rock. It skipped twice and sank. "I didn't cry when you left. I kept thinking you would come back. So I never cried." Skip-skip-skip-skip-skip-splash went another one. "But just the same, part of me did, I guess. I suppose that's why it feels so hollow in me too."

Both miko and kitsune were quiet. Nothing but the sounds of skipping stones, cicadas and crickets. The occasional bullfrog croaked out a welcome to the other nocturnal creatures. After a long moment Kagome spoke again.

"I need to find him, Shippou-chan. If I can get the hourglass, I swear on everything that is sacred to me that I will fix this."

"He lives in the forest."

Kagome's head snapped up, and she looked at Shippou. He didn't return the glance, but instead tossed another stone. "No one knows but me… and I only know because I go to see him sometimes."

Kagome gasped softly in surprise. Shippou tilted his head, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "Miroku and Sango know I do, it's not as if I'm hiding it from them. But they've never asked me to tell them. I'm not sure if it's because they don't want to see him, or if they know he doesn't want to see them. Either way, I…. I don't know, I just don't think I could even if they did."

Kagome stayed silent as Shippou continued, and the kit tossed another rock. "You don't what it's been like for me and Inuyasha. It was harder for us. I'm not saying that Miroku and Sango didn't love you, but…" He stopped, hands dropping to his lap. "The bonds youkai make are stronger than the ones humans make. We live a long time, and the memories… the feelings… stay with us for a long time. So it hurts a lot more when they're broken."

Kagome turned her gaze to the ground. She wasn't sure what to say, and she didn't want to press the matter. The teenage boy paused, as if waiting for her to say something, or deliberating his decision.

"But you know," he said, "I just know that if it's you, this'll get fixed. And I want that back. The way it used to be." He sighed. "So I'll take you."

Kagome blinked, quite bewildered for a moment. Then she let out a heavy sigh, and looked at Shippou with a wan smile. He smiled back, the sad gesture just barely reaching his eyes.

…To be continued

a/n :: I lub writing for adult Shippou. I have this mental (and finally on paper too; I drew big Shippou-chan a couple of days ago. ;D ) image of him looking like an Inuyasha-sized Shippou. Is so cute!

**Ohayo -** Good morning. The full phrase is "Ohayo gozaimasu."

omg Thanks for the reviews! I really love them. (Im not kidding, I do little excited dances in my chair when I have reviews, lol)

Black Betty ( ::gives you trampoline:: Now, when you flip, you wont hurt yourself. lol. And is okay to be dramatic. I am all the time. ;p )

Valdimarian ( o.0 Wonder much? rofl ::re-reads all questions:: Okay.. cant answer that yet.. cant answer that one.. Naraku is an ebil bastard, how many do you think he left? lol Suzuno Kanna's reincarnation? Creative, but no. She's just very quiet, lol. Okay, any more? Ah, Sessy and Rin. Hmm.. Sessy and Rin. Welp, you'll just have wait! XD )

Kainaku Hotaru ( Mhm, teh pocky! Love teh pocky! ::huggles the pocky:: Thanks for reading, and I wish you luck on your story! I totally get that "Its not past chappie 1" phase. Drives me to Bonkers, USA. )

Inu Faceness ( ::hands you tissue:: Relax! You're hyperventilating! The hanyou-ness is coming. Please! He is my favorite charrie, you think I would intentionally write him out of a story when I could intentionally torture him and have so much more fun?! Mua ha. You dun know me very well, do you? )

Inu-Tachi Clan (::hands you a tissue too:: Thanks for reading! )

Defafaeth Mechqua ( ;p )

lyn (Okay.)

Silver Rain Drops (I'm glad you're into it! Is my intention and my total wish! XD )

JasmineUnicorn (Thanks! I'm glad you like.)

anna-7 (Thanks for reading.)

priestessmykala (You might be surprised how I've written Inuyasha… ::ish nervous:: )

cartoonfan (Am glad you like it! Thanks for reading!)

May-ShadowZ (Sometimes is all that needs to be said. Thanks for reading.)

;p

.Tessen.


	4. And Then The Rains Came

Well, has been a month to the day since my last update, I figure that's as good as any a day to add chapter four for you guys. ;) Guess what, good news for Sesshoumaru fans- I found a way to include Fluffy-sama. In doing so, I added another piece to the puzzle of my plot, but its a surprise that will most likely get me killed, or at least beaten into a coma with rotten Japanese radishes. ;p You'll have to wait and see.

Anyway, on with today's chapter. This one's for the angst fans, the Inuyasha fans, the angsty Inuyasha fans, the Inuyasha-angst fans, and fans of general angst. Did I mention angst? And Inuyasha. And Inuyasha who's angsting. ;p

Note: **This chapter contains a multitude of expletives** (swear words, curses, stuff that'll get your mouth washed out with Irish Spring, etc etc.) Inuyasha is NOT a happy puppy in this chapter, and following in true Inuyasha form, he curses. A lot. Not much I can do about it if you are insistent on reading it, but I have to warn you anyways.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Plain and simple.

Silhouette

Chapter Four : And Then The Rains Came

"I don't see why I have to go!" Stamp.

Kagome winced, turning away from the ensuing argument and back to her packing. The moment Misa stamped that foot, Sango placed her hands on her hips, her face dipping into the frown Kagome had coined the Mom look. It reminded her so much of her own mother's "Do it or you're grounded" look, and was rather effective on mischievous or defiant youngsters.

Misa hushed instantly, although made her dislike of the situation known by the pout on her face. Sango wasn't swayed however. "Misa, you will do as I ask. Now, I have to stay and take care of your younger brothers and sisters-"

"I can do that-" Misa tried, but Sango interrupted with, "…AND you need the practice. I've been noticing flaws in your technique recently."

"Haha-ue!"

"Be nice to Kagome-chan and mind Shippou. Bye bye!" Sango gave a little wave to her eldest daughter, and the conversation was over. Misa angrily took up Hiraikotsu and stomped out of the house. Kohaku tucked his chain-blade into the back of his sash, looping its long chain. Sango took his arm, standing in front of him.

"C'mere." She reached up, stretching to reach the head of her tall son. She smoothed back his hair, and then patted his shoulders, giving him a firm shake. "You mind your surroundings. Don't let down your guard."

"I won't, Haha-ue."

"I love you, Kohaku," she reminded him and he smiled. "I love you too, Haha-ue."

"Do your best."

The teenager nodded and headed outside where Misa and Shippou were already waiting. Kagome straightened her quiver, fidgeting as she smoothed out the wrinkles in her skirt. Sango turned to her, looking rather unnerved. "Kagome-chan, is there anything you need?"

Kagome shook her head, forcing on a smile. Sango just stared at her. Kagome winced inwardly. _She's not buying the smile. I should have known. Sango knew me as well as I knew myself, and now she's Momma-Sango. It's her JOB to know when something's wrong._

"I need you to tell me that what I'm doing is right," Kagome admitted. "I need to know that seeing him isn't wrong." She turned, her head dropping as she inspected the dirt on her shoes. "Going to him now, after what happened here… I know Inuyasha, he won't be able to handle it. He's going to be angry and upset."

"Yes, he is."

Kagome's face wrenched into an expression of dire sadness. There was no hope left in her brown eyes. "He'll hate me."

"Probably."

Kagome turned to her friend. "I don't think I can handle him hating me." Sango shook her head, coming over and slipping her arms around the younger girl's shoulders. Kagome hugged her friend back, burying her face in the other woman's shoulders. Sango pulled away, looking at Kagome with a weak smile.

"It'll be alright. If you succeed, this will be all over. For all of us. Don't lose hope yet."

Kagome nodded. "Take care of yourself, Sango-chan. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Sango smiled. "I will. Be careful."

And with that, the miko took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and plastered on a smile. Then she turned and walked out into the grey, overcast day. Kohaku, Misa and Shippou were waiting for her, and Kagome swallowed thickly.

_Here goes._

"Let's go, guys."

.n.

The trip wouldn't be too far, Shippou had promised, but even knowing that, it seemed like a million kilometers to Kagome. The kit took to the front, hacking a path for the others. Kagome walked a few paces behind, Misa just behind her, and Kohaku kept the rear, his trained taijiya senses picking up anything that seemed off or unusual as they trekked southwestward.

She'd done more worrying in the past two days than she had in her entire life, Kagome was certain of it. And not just about how to fix her problem, but wondering if that in her own era, Inuyasha worried about this sort of thing happening.

_I know he thinks about Kikyou and what happened between the two of them… it always hurt me when I knew he was, but.. I wonder if he thinks something like that about me? Is he ever afraid that I'll leave him?_ The miko folded her arms, tracing circles on her shirt absently. _Is that the real reason he follows me to my world? Is he afraid of losing me?_

"HEY."

Kagome flinched violently at Misa's angry voice. The young taijiya girl was a tempest of put out, furious and disgusted feelings, and the glare which emitted the negativity was directed to Kagome. The schoolgirl mentally prepared herself to be slammed in the head by an enormous bone boomerang, but Shippou's patient hand on the top of it reassured her that Misa would not be listed as cause of death on Kagome's death certificate.

"Yes?" Kagome asked, and Shippou rested a gentle hand on Misa's mouth as the teenager started to rant. The kit gestured with his chin, and Kagome turned to see where he was pointing. Underneath a thick brush of vines and leaves was a tiny black opening. Kagome could hardly see it, but once she did, it didn't leave her sight. She turned back to look at Shippou's wide blue eyes.

"Inuyasha's in there. He's asleep."

"At this time of the day?"

"What else is he going to do?" Shippou said, not without a twinge of cold anger. Kagome looked helplessly at him, and he gave her an equally helpless shrug. "I can't help it, Kagome. It's a habit."

She sagged. Being angry at her was one thing, but being told that it was a habit was like throwing salt into the wound. But before she could digress again into feeling sorry for herself, she turned towards the cave and steeled herself.

With each step towards his dwelling, each cracking twig or rustle of grass, a new question appeared in her mind without warning. What would she see in there? Would he look any different? Was he healthy? How would he react? Would he believe it was her at all?

By the time she was close enough to reach out and pull aside the curtain of vines, Kagome was trembling so much that she could feel it in her guts. It seemed like every organ, especially her heart, was shaking too. Her teeth were chattering from the phantom cold that had appeared, even though today was particularly warm for the cloudy midday.

She watched her hand stretch towards the vines, wavering uncontrollably as it did, and at long last she touched them, drew them aside…

..and walked in.

The cave was mostly dark and the light from outside, little as it was, was still more than enough to offset the dim black of the cave's inside. Instantly, outside seemed so much brighter, and Kagome felt it echoed her actions in a vague way.

Not surprisingly, the little home was sparse in belongings. It wasn't very deep, and only 8 feet from the entrance was a burnt-out spot which Kagome assumed Inuyasha used as his hearth. A bed made of straw and animal furs lay by it, thick and comfortable looking. It was the only thing in the whole chamber that seemed home-like and cozy.

_And incredibly empty. _Kagome thought in turmoil. _I thought Shippou-chan said he was asleep? Where is he?_

Perhaps it was better that he not be here. It would lessen the shock, Kagome considered, if she saw how he'd been living before she saw him. She wandered further into the hovel, looking for anything that proclaimed it Inuyasha's. On the opposite side of the hearth was an array of knives, some made from metal and others from rock or bone. Some of them Kagome could tell were used for cutting simply by their sharpened edges. There were others that were dull, and a whole second after she noticed them, she realized what he used them for.

On the cavern walls were words carved into the rock. Some were brand-new, barely scrapes on the stone, but a few of them had been carved so often that they were chiseled deep into the hard surface, the characters smooth and perfect. After reading a few of them it occurred to Kagome that they weren't just words, but entire stories. She blinked at the irony of it. _In the last twenty years, he became a writer. Inuyasha, who couldn't even stand to talk more than "Get out of my way or I'll kill you" became a writer._

Kagome snickered to herself, feeling a faint drain of the upsetting hurt she'd been experiencing for the past two days. Gradually she made her way around the cave, skimming Inuyasha's novel as she did. Most of it was incidents within the past twenty years: youkai he'd killed, humans he'd had to fend off from bothering him.

Near the bed she discovered stories closer to heart. There were a few that mentioned his mother, a lot that testified to the evil that was Naraku, several more that slandered Sesshoumaru, and it was amongst these stories she found Miroku, Sango and Shippou's names. Entire paragraphs dedicated to incidents involving the houshi, taijiya and kitsune were engraved neatly underneath their names. And then her eyes scanned something new.

Nearby were the words "Kuronos Sunadokei." _Hold the phone._ The miko re-read it. _Sunadokei.. that's the hourglass. He wrote about the Hourglass._ She read it quickly, the whole section being only a line or two long, and then clicked her tongue irritatedly when it was nothing more than what Miroku and Sango had told her, that they'd battled a youkai carrying an hourglass and that it was now his charge to protect.

She went back to the first word. "Ku.. Kuro.. Kuronos?" Kagome spoke the word aloud, wondering what it meant. _Kuronos.. Kuronos.. Kronos…?_ She gasped quietly. _Chronos! Chronos was a God of Time..! in some religion or another…_ Again, her tongue clicked in annoyance; she wished she'd paid more attention in that elective mythology class.

_Well,_ she mused, standing up and looking around the dark, empty cave, _he's not here. Not even here and sleeping. Just… not here._ She turned back towards the entrance, intending to ask Shippou to go on a search for him, when out of the corner of her eye she noticed a small niche. It was behind a stalagmite -_or is that a stalactite? I can never remember the difference_- and partially covered by what appeared to be a deer-skin curtain.

Curious, she went to it, pulling aside the curtain as she did, and then gasped sharply. _Tessaiga… _The niche was just big enough to allow the katana in its space, and the sheathed blade was leaned against the wall, hidden from view.

_He doesn't use Tessaiga anymore? I don't understand. He loved it, why would he stop using it…?_ Confused, Kagome searched the opening for any of the now-familiar scribbled carvings of the hanyou. She was in luck. The answer was engraved deep into the rock, and this one was perhaps the best taken care of. Kagome could see Inuyasha in her mind as he stood in front of this niche and carved into the rock the words she was now reading aloud.

"My dad's sword, Tessaiga, the sword that protects human life. I got it when she was at my side. But she's gone now, so I don't need it anymore. It can stay here, with my memory of her."

Instantly the mental image of the hanyou writing these words was marred by a second image, one that Kagome wished in the second instant had not appeared in her mind. _These words were angry, _she recognized, _he wrote these when he was upset._ She knew exactly who the "she" he referred to was, but she desperately didn't want confirmation. Unfortunately that too, like the explanation for Tessaiga, was in the niche.

Near the bottom, as if Inuyasha had been on his knees, bent over as he wrote, was a confusing group of characters. It was, like the rest of this section, chiseled into the rock, but there were harsh scratches running through it, as if drawn in anger, and they tarnished his handwriting to an almost unreadable status.

After a moment Kagome realized with agony that it was her name.

She closed her eyes, biting her lip until it hurt as she collapsed in on herself, her fingers tracing the hollowed-out Japanese characters. _This was wrong,_ she said over and over, _I shouldn't have come. I have to leave before he gets back._

Kagome forced herself to her feet and pushed back from the wall. It was too much, reading his journal and seeing what her leaving had done to him. The entire book, written on a cave wall, was blank of emotion, except for the single passage about her. That was written with the utmost of feeling. Hatred, anger, hurt. She couldn't bear it.

She pulled the deerskin curtain shut, turned to the cave entrance, striding towards it purposefully, quickly, _Get me out of here. I need to go now,_ when abruptly it occurred to her that the bright light of the outside that contrasted so powerfully against the dimness of the cave… was not so bright.

Kagome looked up at the person, assuming it was Shippou. After all, she'd been in here a long time, and he'd come to check on her. Only, it wasn't Shippou.

Inuyasha stood in the way, backlit so much that she could hardly see his features through his silhouette. But it was enough. He blinked, swaying backwards slightly as if the force of seeing her standing in his home was physically disruptive to his posture. The bag he held dropped unnoticed to the floor.

After two days of being with Sango, Miroku and Shippou, Kagome had gotten used to finding what she remembered in the people who had aged. The way Sango smiled, the excited expression on Miroku's face when he knew he'd gotten away with a grope, Shippou's laugh. Despite the few wrinkles and a couple of extra inches in height, it was those things that reminded her who she was with.

She knew instantly that she wouldn't need it with Inuyasha. It was clearly him, though he was a little taller, and his shoulders a little broader. His face looked more mature, and Kagome was reminded of Sesshoumaru in the jawline and cheekbones. His ears stood high on his head, twitching as he listened to the sounds in the cave and outside out of it.

His clothes were the same, the hi-nezumi haori hanging a little more loosely than before, letting more of his weathered white undershirt peek out of the collar. It didn't look any older or different, she assumed because of its odd healing powers. She felt a pang of guilt resurface when she saw the prayer beads still hanging around his neck. _Twenty years… and being unable to take them off. Oh, Inuyasha…_

There was only one fault in this mature Inuyasha that Kagome could find, and sadly it was with the one thing she'd prayed would be the same. Her Inuyasha had playful eyes, flickering with a tiniest smidge of insecurity that told of the adversity he'd encountered in his life. His eyes could pierce holes in you with a single glare, and then an instant later be warm and comforting as he held you and assured you everything would be alright. This man standing before her was blank of much emotion, and nothing but a strong uncertainty and unfathomable pain echoed in their golden depths.

His eyebrows narrowed and a film of confusion shaded his eyes, as though he were trying to understand her being there. His mouth hung open slightly in an echo of shock. The same expression that had crossed his face whenever he saw Kikyou was on his face now, and Kagome hated it. Immediately her hand clapped to her mouth and she heard a short gasp. Vaguely she realized she'd been the one to cry out, but it hadn't sounded like her in the least.

And then her feet uprooted from the floor and she dove headlong into his arms. "_Inuyasha!_"

"Uh.." He tensed in her embrace, much like the first time she'd ever done that to him. She remembered it like it was yesterday, when she thought he'd died. She came up out of the well to see him standing there, perfectly safe if not a little roughed up. The absolute relief and joy that she'd felt when she knew he was okay had overwhelmed her, and she had thrown herself at him. Needless to say, he had been surprised and a little confused.

Much like he was now. Kagome buried her face against his chest, her fingers hooking into claws to gather as much of him into her arms as she could. She was doing exactly what she'd told herself over and over not to, because she knew he hated her, knew there was no way he could forgive her. Unlike Kikyou, who had been tricked into betraying him, Kagome had actually…

_But I didn't… And I wouldn't! I couldn't do this to him, it wasn't me!_

She sniffled, not wanting to let him go, when abruptly she realized the symbolism of the action, and vaguely she reached up to touch her cheek. Her fingers came back wet. She was finally crying.

She closed her hand, letting it drop to her side, and finally tipped her head back, daring to look up at him. He still didn't say anything, just looked down at her with a mixed expression. Something was there, something amiable, a hint of how he used to be, how they used to be together. For one brief moment she thought maybe this would go better. Maybe he didn't hate her, and he would take her back.

"Ka.. gome.."

He spoke her name as if it were foreign on his tongue, as though it were the first time. Perhaps it was. Perhaps it had been so long he'd allowed himself to say it that he'd forgotten its form, its sound.

He certainly hadn't forgotten what the owner of that name had done to him. Kagome's fantasy of a touching reunion was crushed by the reality she'd expected as one clawed hand came up to grip her arm and he pulled her off him. His face changed slowly, eyes crinkling with anger, his teeth gritting. A low growl came from deep in his chest, one that Kagome knew well.

"What the hell are you doing here…?" he demanded quietly. Something tugged in her; his voice hadn't changed much. It was still him, tweaked here and there. But it was still him. She looked down stupidly, an errant tear or two falling.

"I… I needed to.. see you." Her hands wrung themselves in front of her; her voice sounded small and insignificant. She didn't need to look at the hanyou to know he had gawped at her in shock, that sarcastic expression he used when he was covering up how he truly felt.

"Need.. _You_ fucking needed to see _me_?" He snorted, a desperate half-laugh coming from him. She closed her eyes. "You decided to just drop by twenty years later and see how I've been doing, right?"

"No.. I.. I mean, there was a spell.. No, I mean, I think something.." She cursed mentally. Why did her brain power seem to leak out through her ears when she was under pressure? She looked up at him helplessly, tears building again in her eyes. "I'm sorry! This isn't real, something happened with the well or something, and… I was only gone for a little bit of time. Somehow it was.." She shook her head, unable to remember the speech she'd thought so hard to memorize. "I didn't leave you, Inuyasha, I was only gone for three days!"

He just glared at her, his mouth hanging open slightly. "I don't believe this. You have the audacity to apologize to me? You think sorry is going to do ANYTHING FOR ME NOW!" She flinched when he raised his voice, and he stepped back from her slightly, clenched fists shaking with his growing fury.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, you didn't leave me! Have you gone fucking senile in only twenty years? You think you were here the whole time? How stupid do you think I am!" His face contorted angrily, eyes narrowing to smoldering pinpoints. "I grew up! It was pretty stupid of me back then, to trust another goddamn woman, _the same one _even. I deserved to be betrayed again if I managed to believe in the reincarnation of the woman who fucked me over the first time!"

Kagome caught her breath, looking up at him. She didn't bother to try and hide how much his last statement had hurt, and his image blurred as her eyes filled with tears. "But it's the same as it was with Kikyou, Inuyasha! I didn't betray you, I-"

"But I grew up!" He repeated, cutting her off, his shoulders straightening. "And if you think I'm stupid enough to believe this bullshit -_again_- you've fucking crazy!" He seemed to lose steam, because his shoulders suddenly sagged, and he took a deep breath, as though his tirade had exhausted his strength. Kagome took the chance to speak.

"Inuyasha, I didn't betray you! I would never have done that to you; you know me! You have to believe me!" Preaching to a brick wall, she knew. Love pleaded with her to try anyway. Inuyasha looked incredulous.

"_Believe you_! You deceitful bitch! How dare you come back and come into MY place and then tell me I have to _believe_ you!" He took a step forward, looming over her. He seemed so much taller now; he always had when he was upset. She shrank back from him, closing her eyes and waiting for it. Whatever he did. She deserved it. She felt the guilt as painfully as she felt the hurt that came with his words, and she hoped he did something awful. She deserved it.

"Get out." The words were soft, but the underlying hate in them came through loud and clear. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. He stood still, but she could see him shaking, and she knew it wasn't because the cave was cold. His head hung, his silver bangs hiding his eyes from view. Kagome swallowed, taking a step forward, hand outstretched.

"Won't you even listen to me?" She asked, her quiet voice edging on desperation, "After everything you and I went through together, you won't even let me explain… I need your help, I can't fix this without you!"

"Just leave."

"Inuyasha…"

"Now. I don't want to see you again. Ever. Go back home, stay here, whatever. Just get away from me."

That tone. God, it scared her. She'd never seen him this way, never heard his voice sound like that. No more anger, no more shock. Just raw pain, and hate that welled up from deep inside him. He was strangely calm, and she hated it. She wished he would get angry, yell, threaten her, fight her. Anything but this silent, seething hatred that she could feel coming off him in waves. Kagome bit her lip, tightly closing her hand and pulling it close to her. She nodded vaguely, then stepped around him and headed for the opening. She turned back to look at him once more; he stood there statuesque. Then he turned, his eyes still hidden by a wall of silvery locks.

"GO."

Kagome went.

.n.

Shippou looked up when his sharp ears heard the rustle of leaves and branches at the cave opening. Kagome rushed out, head down, body stiff. The fox felt something sink in him; from her posture, he knew what went on inside the cave even without having been there, and though he ached for her, remembering how as a child he would grow angry with Inuyasha when the hanyou hurt Kagome, there was now a tiny part of him that smirked with a wicked glee, that knew she brought it on herself and deserved nothing less than being eternally unforgiven, and that part of him laughed at her as she wept.

He had assumed Inuyasha was asleep, as he so often was at this time of day. Ironic that the day Kagome decided to drop by he changed his routine. So when the hanyou appeared holding his fresh kill, Shippou'd had the strongest urge to follow him in and mediate.

But no one was strong enough to mediate for them when they liked each other; much less now, when one hated the other. The least he would be capable of doing was salvaging what was left of Kagome's heart when Inuyasha was finished with her. He stomped down that tiny part that reveled in her pain, willing himself to know that it was a remnant of a tragedy that had been cast on them, not his real feelings that were born of something Kagome had done.

And by the looks of it, Inuyasha was thoroughly finished with her.

"Kagome-sama? Will he help you?" Kohaku wondered as she came to a stop in front of them. Kagome shook her head, keeping her face down. She heard a soft sigh from the boy that sounded discouraged, and grunt from Misa.

"Well, you can't expect him to-"

"Misa, shut up." The girl gasped in offense, stressing Kohaku's name in surprise that he'd been so harsh with her. Kagome hardly heard any of this; she was lost in her own thoughts.

_God, how stupid am I? I'd expected this, I knew it would happen, but… but.._ She covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hold in the whimpers that threatened to spill from her lips. Shippou stood at her side, his hand on her shoulder. She couldn't feel it. Her body was numb.

_It hurts so much… I hurt him. Oh God, I'm sorry… _She closed her eyes, crying out softly through her fingers, unable to hold back anymore. Shippou slipped his arms around her, patting her hair gently as she wept, fingers knotting into the soft fur of his coat.

Around them, it began to rain.

…To be continued

a/n :sigh: Okay. I think is enough angst for today, ne? Gawd, is difficult to write this stuff without getting the sniffles. Im a die-hard Inu/Kag fan and breaking them up ish harsh for me! (Just FYI, I hate episode 47-48 for the same reason, lol)

Okay, so click on that familiar little button and lemme know what you thought! ;p You guys know I love it.

Mellie S (Thanks!)

HMPrune (Thanks. I promise, I won't be sitting here on my bum if Mom needs me.)

Cetacea92 (Thank you. As for the story, I'm hoping Sil won't be VERY long, but about 10-12 chapters or so. ;)

Scherezade7 (She contemplates not seeing him because I made her. ;p lol )

Valdimarian (Long chappie, and with more on the way! I'm mostly Sess/Kagura, but Sess/Rin is cute if she's older. Am not into the lolicon thing. X( Am trying to work them in.)

BakaBokken (Yeah, writing has certainly helped me through some harsh times. Chapters 9-12 of To Be With You Tomorrow (dealing with Inuyasha's sickness) were written during my mother's first bout with cancer. So yeah, it shows. Back to the story- am glad you're liking so far!)

Priestess kurumi inu's sister (If I had it my way, Inuyasha would have gotten half of Inupapa's estate and been treated better as a child. He IS a prince, after all, just like Sesshoumaru. But then he wouldn't be the Inu we know and love! He lived in the wilderness, so of course he'd head back there if he felt threatened. Or abandoned, in this case. ;p )

JasmineUnicorn (Thanks for the review, and your sentiments. ;)

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cartoonfan (Thank you. I'll try to keep going with the writing when I can. ;)

Black Betty (:gives you floor mat so you don't hurt self when bouncing off the trampoline: )

Janice (Okie dokie. :peace sign: )

priestessmykala (Inuyasha? Mature? Do they even belong in the same sentence? ;)

jgirl79 (As I do excited dances in my chair when I get my review! Thank you so much:huggles: Is very good to know that I have my support here as well. You and the others really do wonders for me with your sweet reviews, and I look forward to them so very much. ;)

Defafaeth Mechqua ;)

lyn (Of course.)

DarkAnimePriestess (Thanks! Am glad you love it!)

;p

.Tessen.


	5. My Feelings That Won't Go Away

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Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Plain and simple.

Silhouette

Chapter Five : My Feelings That Won't Go Away

CRACK! A clap of thunder rocked the whole house, following a searing bolt of lightning that crossed the skies, scarring the clouds above. They were dark, almost black, promising heavy rains for days to rid themselves of their weighty load.

Sango peered out the door, watching the rains hammer into the dirt, creating slippery roads of mud and silt that no human being would dare travel in. She left the rain to its business and turned back in to her own work, teaching the youngest of her children to read and write. Suzuno was doing well, her handwriting haphazard and all over the paper, but it was leaving scribbleverse and heading into legibleland. The boys were chattering quietly amongst themselves, while Misa polished Hiraikotsu. Aside from the occasional thunder, it was quiet.

In the next room, Kagome lay curled up on the floor, a kimono carefully tucked around her. Her eyes were reddened and a little puffy, her cheeks stained with permanent tear tracks. Frequent sniffles sounded from where she lay, an occasional whimper as she struggled to hold back the sobs that threatened to break free and trouble the whole household.

Sango felt awful for her, and felt even worse when she could think of absolutely nothing that would make Kagome feel better. Even when they traveled together 20 years ago, Kagome's feelings for Inuyasha had been obvious. It had been the reason Sango held out so long, believing until the end that Kagome would return. No one who loved someone that much would abandon him, Sango had thought. But every day that passed, every time Sango saw the desolate hanyou and what Kagome's absence was doing to him, her faith wavered. She stopped believing when Inuyasha did, shortly before she gave birth to Kohaku. She'd always known that people who loved each other could hurt one another. But the day Inuyasha left them forever, Sango realized that Kagome also fell into that group.

_But now_, she thought, the smile her daughter brought her wavering, _she just appears, telling this wild story. It's still the same Kagome-chan, but we've lost faith in her. How can this work? I still feel like this story is just that, a story. How can she expect us to drop everything and help her after what we've been through? How can Inuyasha be expected to believe in her again?_ The ex-taijiya paused, her hand closing as something else occurred to her.

_How am I supposed to help her if I don't even believe her?_

.n.

Languid steps paused in their stride, and sensitive senses picked out a flaw in the air around them. His typical blasé expression never wavering, Sesshoumaru lifted golden eyes to the sky, searching the blue canopy above. _This scent_, the dog-lord thought to himself, _seems familiar._

Behind him, the thunderous, steady steps of Ah-Un stopped as well; Jaken's tottering stride accompanied by the occasional knocking of the Nintoujou against the ground signaling he had also stopped. "Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Sesshoumaru didn't even spare a reply to the little toad. Rin's small voice became urgent as well. "Sesshoumaru-sama, what's wrong?"

This time the youkai's reply was to rush to his left, Toukijin drawn in a flash of bright steel. He slashed at the trees without hesitation, the upper bodies of the trees slipping off their trunks in crunches and snaps of agony, the branches crashing to the ground. Out of them darted a white shape, flipping magnificently into the air to avoid Sesshoumaru's attack. It spiraled, throwing out its arms to catch Sesshoumaru on his shoulders.

Up close for a mere instant, Sesshoumaru saw the woman's face. She was beautiful, her skin pale like alabaster, framed by snow white hair. Her eyes were dark red, dilated and glossy, like a doll's. The rest of her hair was painstakingly done up in beads every different shade of red he could imagine, and they clinked and clattered as they jostled against each other. In the moment it took for her to push off his shoulders, Sesshoumaru had already reached up, snagging her arm and digging his claws in.

"Uh!" The woman cried out sharply, the sound not what the dog-lord was expecting. Her voice was of a high pitch, but it rang out twice like an echo. The robes she wore were not anything he'd seen before, being long white material simply draped around her and held in place by tucking it in at her waist. He frowned at her, "You…"

The eerie red eyes centered on him and she reached into the drooping parts of her dress, drawing out a small charm. Instantaneously it grew larger in her hand, so quickly that Sesshoumaru hadn't the moment he needed to defend himself. She swung it, hard, and it cracked into the side of his head.

It had the desired effect: he let go, and she darted backwards in the blink of an eye, spinning to face the shocked followers of Sesshoumaru. Jaken's bulgy eyes widened further as he stood there, vulnerable to any attack. Ah-Un began to back away to protect Rin who was sitting on his back, but the little girl grabbed the reins, giving them a sharp tug and urging the beast forward. She reached out towards the little toad standing frozen before their attacker. "Jaken-sama, give me your hand!"

"Not today," said the woman, her voice again echoing strangely, as though she'd spoken the same words twice, but at the same time. She flicked three talisman at the trio, each landing on a body part. The three of them froze instantaneously, and Rin watched in horror as Jaken passed out, slumping forward onto the ground. A loud thump sounded afterward when Ah-Un also fell to the powers of the woman.

_My body…_ she wondered, _I can't move…_ Fighting the paralysis, the little girl strained back, trying to see Sesshoumaru. The dog-lord was on his knees, his eyes open and staring, his body unmoving. He wasn't unconscious as Jaken was, but he was quickly succumbing to whatever spell this white creature had cast on them. Barely, Rin noticed two talisman, one on either of Sesshoumaru's shoulders.

_It was then_, she realized, recalling the moment the white woman had grabbed Sesshoumaru by the shoulders and then pushed away from him. _She put those on him… Sesshoumaru-sama…_

Sesshoumaru grunted painfully as he fought the spell, noticing out of the corner of his vision as Rin collapsed on Ah-Un's back. She wasn't dead, none of them were dying. But this form of magic seemed much worse than anything that would bestow death, and he cursed himself when he actually began to feel dread at the thought of what this woman could and might do.

"Unh…" The dog-lord gripped Toukijin tight in his hands, struggling to stand to face the woman. She glided over to him, her eyes emotionless as she pressed another talisman to his chest.

He felts his joints stiffen further, the paralysis stretching from the top of his head down to his feet, and he finally slumped forward, unable to keep his body up any longer. The woman knelt, and began to whisper something.

"_Toki no naka no yami wa kokoro o nomeru, yami no naka no maboroshi wa me ga mienai ni naru._"

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes.

.n.

Kagome opened her eyes. They were blurry, as they always seemed to be the past day or so. Her eyes and cheeks had that dryness to it, the specific kind that only happens when clammy flesh dries by the air, and her bangs were sticking to her skin.

_How ironic,_ she thought abruptly, _I couldn't cry for three days, and now I can't stop for even one minute, much less three… _She sniffled, turning her face into her pillow and whimpering again. Every time she thought she might have cried enough to collect herself and leave the room, Inuyasha's face would appear in her mind's eye. That dazed, helpless look that spoke volumes about his hurt and his anger, without him needing to say a thing at all. His voice echoed in her ears, using that tone he'd had right before she left him.

_"I don't want to see you again. Ever. Go back home, stay here, whatever. Just get away from me."_

_I've never seen him that way, not even when he would meet with Kikyou. I never ever wanted to see him that way because of something I did. I wanted to take care of him and protect him from that. He deserves it so much. But now, he hates me. Because of something I did…!_

"Stop thinking that."

Kagome gasped at the sudden interruption of her thoughts, and then did a double take when she realized the voice hadn't been in her head, but been spoken aloud. She sat up, twisting to look over her shoulder. Sango was kneeling by her bed.

The woman was beautiful, as she'd always been. Somehow, her maturity had brought out an even deeper beauty in her, and she seemed elegant and strangely refined. And, as she had always been, she looked stern. Her hands were folded in her lap, smoothing out faded green fabric as dark eyes centered on her. She didn't look mad, simply very serious. "Sit up, Kagome-chan," she suggested, and the miko did so, her eyes finding her lap immediately.

"Kagome-chan, did you or did you not leave us for twenty years?" Sango asked quietly. The words hit Kagome hard, with them the question: doesn't she believe me? Kagome looked up, her expression injured. But Sango simply raised her eyebrows inquisitively. "Well?"

"NO. I would never have left you guys! I had a job to finish…"

"Is that all?"

_Is that all?_ Kagome wondered, and then shook her head. "Of course not. You, Miroku-sama, Shippou-chan… Inuyasha.. You were my friends. Even if we had gathered the Shikon no kakera and killed Naraku.. I would have come back."

"Then stop acting like you left," Sango said harshly, surprising Kagome. "I'm getting sick of this wishy-washy attitude from you. You say that you didn't leave us and then whenever someone mentions what happened to us, you get all weepy and act like it's your fault. That's not the Kagome-chan I know."

"I can't help it," Kagome replied, her eyes filling again. "I feel it. I see it on your faces, how much you detest me being here now, how much it hurt you that I left. You think I wouldn't be affected by that?"

Sango was undeterred. "What about when I was asked to steal Tessaiga in order to save Kohaku? Or when Shippou was possessed by the Yadori Sanagi? You never cried." The ex-taijiya's eyes narrowed, her mouth turning down in a frown. "The only reason you're half as upset is because it's you. Instead of one of us now, it's you who's being blamed. How dare you act so selfish. You think you have the time to sit here and bawl like a child? I thought you were going to find out what caused this and fix it?"

"I can't do it without Inuyasha…!"

"You mean you don't want to."

Kagome stood up, stamping one foot. "What does semantics matter now!" She began to pace, sobbing and waving her arms about in frantic gestures, another indication of how upset she truly was. "He had the Hourglass! How am I supposed to find out anything if I don't have it? Whether I can't or won't isn't the issue!"

"You are missing the point," Sango said pointedly, her voice edging on exasperation. Kagome looked at the taijiya, her lips trembling and tears running down her face. Sango didn't let up with the severity of her comments; she couldn't. Not until she knew Kagome understood. "Kagome-chan, has it ever occurred to you that maybe the reason we keep bringing up what happened is because you allow us to?"

"What do you mean?" Kagome wondered, looking evermore like a small child being scolded by her mother as she clasped her hands in front of her. Sango sighed, gesturing randomly off to the side to encompass everyone in her explanation.

"We had finally gotten over everything.. decided to let it go when you came back. All you did was kick up the dust again. We treated you like it was your fault because we never resolved it. And even though you've told us again and again, and we can obviously see that you're the same as always… the hurt is still here."

"I know! That's why I keep trying to--"

"Kagome-chan, please." The miko hushed instantly, and Sango continued. "But instead of sticking to your story, you cry, and you plead for forgiveness, and you blame yourself. There should be no guilt if you didn't do anything wrong and yet there is. That's why we're able to talk about it, and blame you. And for some reason you've gotten it into your head that whatever we say is law. The moment anyone even mentions anything that you've missed, you get this weepy, guilty look. And my first thought is 'Why does she look like that if she really did nothing wrong?'"

Kagome's mouth hung open slightly, and a thoughtful expression overcame her as she slowly sat back down, hanging her head. It felt awful, hearing it from Sango, but Kagome knew it was probably right. No, of course it was. She had seen it on all of them: the brief confusion as to why their friend looked the same as she always had when they had grown older, but the confusion was only there for a minute before everything they'd held in for twenty years came out in a torrent of hurt feelings and the want to hurt her back. She'd even seen it in Inuyasha; that brief flash of the way he used to be before something darker than him came spilling out. She swallowed, looking up at her friend. Sango looked at her expectantly. She truly wanted an answer.

"I know it's stupid," she finally said. "I never used to do this when someone would mistake me for Kikyou. When Inuyasha first woke up and treated me like I was the one who'd killed him, I never felt anything but annoyance that I was being punished for something some other woman did. But this time, the person who did the wrong in everyone's mind was me. And I see those looks on your faces and I just feel like I can't walk. Even though I know I didn't do it."

"Why?"

Kagome sniffled, her crying softer and less tremendous than before. She wiped at her eyes, looking at the wall. "Before I met Inuyasha I was just a normal girl. I complained so much, and gave everyone so much trouble about having to come here, but really.. It made me so happy to be with you. It was hard, and it was dangerous, but I wasn't just Kagome Higurashi anymore, I was…" She sagged pitifully, looking infinitely smaller than she was as she searched for the word. "Something special."

"But now," she continued, turning back to Sango, "In this world, I'm just a girl again. The me in your reality hurt all of you, and the way you treat me, it feels like I'm a stranger again. I love him so much… I love all of you, and then to walk down the street and see people I don't recognize, and the only ones I do look at me with contempt… I can't do anything without you guys. Without him. Without Inuyasha, I'm nobody." She looked imploringly at Sango, trying to tell the woman with her eyes, in her manner, what she meant.

"I understand," Sango said, softening into something Kagome recognized from the more youthful Sango she was accustomed to. "You feel like your ordinary life is just that, ordinary. Everything is so typical and so everyday. Everything is the same, until you met them and then every single moment is unpredictable, and it makes you feel like you're more than you are. That you're truly.. special."

"Yes…" Kagome nodded, hanging her head again.

"I understand. Miroku makes me feel the same way."

Kagome looked surprised for a moment and then laughed, looking a bit embarrassed. Sango laughed also, without knowing why except maybe just to laugh, to lessen the weight of the growing dark clouds over them. Kagome looked up at her with a calm, hopeful expression. The tears were gone.

"I have to get him back. I have to make him listen to me."

"Get the Hourglass. You won't need to make him do anything."

"You're right."

.n.

"You're wrong."

Shippou shook his head, flicking back the long strands of wet red hair. He'd pulled it down from his ponytail so that it would dry faster; in his trip back into the forest he'd soaked through from the rain. His shirt and fur-covered vest were hanging precariously on a line over the fire, but he was wearing one of Inuyasha's fur pelts over his bare shoulders to keep warm.

Across the flames was Inuyasha. He was curled up in a narrow corner of the cave near the niche where Tessaiga was kept, looking rather apathetic. There was no emotion on his face and his motions were sluggish and half-hearted as he rubbed the aching, bloody knuckles of his right hand. A little ways above the part of the cavern wall that bore Kagome's scratched-out name was a patch of gummy, drying blood. He closed his eyes and softly repeated what he'd said. "You're wrong."

"Maybe I'm not," the kit said carefully, not wanting to upset the hanyou any further and chance him breaking his other hand or worse. He knew him, knew that this was just the calm before the storm. The first storm had passed, but Inuyasha had more than enough energy, more than enough pain in him to continue this for as long as Kagome was here. It had been the reason Shippou snuck back after taking Kagome home: to try to talk to him. "You saw her. Doesn't that strike you as odd? She looks the same as before, even I'm older than her now."

"It was probably a trick," Inuyasha told him, his voice never rising higher than a whisper. He sounded tired, like today's events and this very conversation exhausted him. His voice also held a tinge of condescending, as though he were reminding the kit of something he should've known but forgotten as he said, "You've never been to her world, Shippou. I have. It's strange. It's loud and dangerous and it stinks. They had weird things there; who knows what they've done in twenty years. Maybe they found a way to stop her from aging."

"Even if they did, do you really think Kagome would want to stop aging at 15? Why not wait until she was an adult?" Shippou took a sip of his tea and then continued his business of making medicine for Inuyasha's hand, lifting the ladle and stirring a pot of near-boiling water. "You're just trying to think of ways to make what you think happened true. You've been doing it for years."

Golden eyes slid underneath their lids to center on the kit, and Shippou knew he was treading on thin ice. Carefully, he amended his last statement. "Don't get upset with me, I'm just saying that you have that tendency." Inuyasha sighed through his nose, the sound aggravated but again, so apathetic that he hardly even moved to say or do anything to the kit. He closed his eyes again, wincing slightly this time as he accidentally jostled the broken fingers of his hand. Even this didn't rouse him, and Shippou felt his heart sink. _I knew this would happen. I should've come to warn him or something, to prepare him for this. He's not ready to deal with her yet._

"Inuyasha, just hear me out. What if Kagome's telling the truth?" The hanyou didn't move, but he was listening; his ears were pricked in Shippou's direction. The younger man took a deep breath, taking the lack of response as signal to continue. "What if we all really were deceived by some outside force? You have lots of enemies, you always have. Is it so hard to imagine someone may have tried to break us up?"

Inuyasha didn't reply, didn't move.

"Inuyasha, you know her," Shippou urged, "You know she wouldn't hurt you."

Inuyasha's face hardened, his eyebrows knitting. His eyes slid open, revealing that deep fire that blazed whenever he was angry. "But she did." Shippou cringed inwardly and visibly at the sound of his voice. It was that one, the one he'd heard so often in the past twenty years, the one he'd heard today when Inuyasha and Kagome had seen each other. And he felt the ice underneath his feet begin to crack.

"The bitch said she wouldn't leave me alone anymore. She said she wanted to be with me. I trusted her. And she left me. It's just the sort of thing she would do, tell a story like this. She'll stab us in the back again if you let her get too close." He shook his head, his teeth gritting as he gave his adopted little brother a warning glare. "You can count me the hell out. I won't go near her. Ever. I wont be deceived by that brat of a whore again."

Shippou snapped. Angrily he leapt to his feet, staring down at the silver-haired hanyou, his tail bristling, eyes blazing with an angry inferno that matched Inuyasha's own. "Inuyasha, this is _Kagome_ for God's sake!" Inuyasha looked up at him, mouth slightly open as he looked at Shippou in surprise; it was the first time in twenty years he'd ever exploded on him. The kit wasn't finished though. "How can you say these things about her! There was a time when you never doubted a single word that came out of her mouth! When you loved her!"

Inuyasha looked stricken, and opened his mouth. Shippou wouldn't give him the chance to deny it. "Don't you dare say you didn't love her, don't you dare. I'll hit you, I swear to God." Inuyasha shut his mouth.

After taking a much-needed moment to calm his temper, Shippou knelt again and took up the bowl of green pasty gunk he was working on, settling in front of his old friend. Carefully he pried Inuyasha's left hand off his broken right one, and the hanyou caught his breath, hissing in pain.

Shippou shook his head, the gesture alone showing his wordless disappointment. "You really did a number on yourself, old man," he said softly, moving with care as he gingerly pressed on Inuyasha's knuckles, searching for the breaks. "You haven't gone one on one with that wall in a good six or seven years; even with what you went through today, I would've thought that you'd know better by now."

Shippou gave him a half-glance, and Inuyasha caught a sad amusement in the kit's eyes. He didn't share the joy; he knew what was coming next when Shippou added, "Since I have to set these fingers."

With a sickening crunch, the hanyou's fingers slipped back into their proper place and he cried out in pain. Shippou apologized quietly, spreading some of the medicinal paste onto the raw and bleeding broken skin of his hand, and then bandaging it. He got up, rinsing his hands in a small bucket of cold water before sitting again on the hanyou's bed. Where he sat, Inuyasha flexed his hand, wincing slightly before glancing up at the entrance to his cave; Shippou knew instantly from his expression he was lost in thought.

"I couldn't help it," he said with the same quiet voice he'd used all night. "When I saw her standing there, all I could think of was how she looked exactly the same as she did when she left, and that she smelled so good, and all I wanted to do was hold her. These past twenty years, all I wanted was to see her again, and then suddenly she was there… I felt like I did for her then."

Inuyasha's face changed, and he buried his head in his arms, sheets of silver hair dropping to hide the parts of his face his sleeves didn't cover. His ears folded back in shame. "I'm so stupid. I'm like a dumb dog that still wags its tail and waits for its cruel master who beats it or doesn't feed it. With Kikyou and then with Kagome, and I'm still…"

Shippou looked at him, his eyes wide. "Inuyasha…"

"I just want them to go away," the hanyou sounded like he was crying, the words coming out sharply as if in a sob. "These feelings I have, I just wanted them to disappear. I thought if I hated her enough they would, but it still hurts."

Shippou hung his head. He had always known Inuyasha loved Kagome, back in the days when they all used to travel together. In the months after her disappearance, it seemed even more obvious as the hanyou refused to let go of the idea that she would come back. Even as the months turned into years, right up until the day he ran away from them all, Shippou knew Inuyasha loved Kagome.

But to harbor those feelings for so long, hidden underneath a veil of hatred, and suffer in silence… Well, it was typical Inuyasha. _He truly is hanyou. He makes bonds like a youkai but feels them with a human heart. On the other hand, it could just be because it's him… and Kagome._

Shippou lifted his head, swallowing thickly. His face was determined, eyes bearing a vague uncertainty as he tread back onto the thin ice that had broken underneath his feet nottwenty minutesbefore. "Inuyasha."

The hanyou looked up, his expression sullen. For the first time in a long time, Shippou noted that his eyes were neither blank, nor were they sad. It struck him like a physical slap to the face when he recognized hope in his adopted brother's golden depths. Part of him was overwhelmed with happiness to see that lost emotion in the hanyou's face.

The other part, the bigger part, wanted to warn against it, to shield Inuyasha from it. Hope was dangerous, especially to someone like Inuyasha, who had felt hope twice before, and lost it both times. Shippou shook it off, tightening a fist. "Go see her. You can't resolve what you're feeling until you be with her again."

Inuyasha looked down, resting his chin on his forearms. No longer folded back, his ears just drooped lazily as he thought it over. After a long time, he sighed.

"Okay… I'll go see Kagome…"

…To be continued

a/n :

"_Toki no naka no yami wa kokoro o nomeru, yami no naka no maboroshi wa me ga mienai ni naru_" means "The darkness inside time swallows the mind, the illusion inside the darkness blinds the eye."

_Kokoro_ is the word used for heart, mind or spirit. It means all of them. I couldn't find an actual word that means "blind" as a verb, so what the latter half of the spell literally says is: the illusion inside the darkness makes the eyes sightless. It just sounds cooler as "blinds the eye."

That concludes Tessen-sensei's Japanese lesson for today. ;p The explanation for why she's speaking Japanese when she's obviously not from Japan will come later, so please don't ask (yet.) ;)

And again Tessen does the Happeh Dance of Reviews. Sorry Im so late! Some of these reviews are like 3 months old, are you guys even gonna remember what Im responding to? lol

cartoonfan (:evil laugh: With Inuyasha's history? Never. The boy is far too grudge-holdy to be happy to see Kagome after what happened.)

Defafaeth Mechqua (She just is. She's very close to her parents, and she's grown up with them being saddened everytime Kagome was mentioned. Now that Kagome's returned, Misa feels like she has to stand up for her parents. She's not a nice kitten.)

HMPrune (Hm.. Should I leave them like this:evil teasing voice: )

Valdimarian (She does tend to osuwari him a great deal, doesn't she? I get tired of it after awhile, the constant "OBEY ME!" attitude she has toward him. I understand wanting to keep your man on a leash, but sheesh. And yeah, maybe a LITTLE hintage of Shippou/Kagome. I started a fic awhile back (never finished, unfortunately) that traveled that venue, if Shippou was older and developed a crush on Kagome. But it's not going anywhere, I promise. He loves her like a mommy-sister, and writing anything more would be shudder-worthy.)

JasmineUnicorn (Then it had the effect I wanted. :claps in pride: Am glad you enjoyed it.)

Black Betty (You're welcome! ;) I was hoping it was intense, so yay! Am so glad you liked it.)

inu-osuwari (Thanks!)

Scherezade7 (Wow! Thanks. And yes, it does strike them as odd that Kagome doesn't look any older, but its more of an emotion thing. You know, where your mind is telling you something is wrong, but your heart is hell-bent on getting out the things it never got to say. Especially Inuyasha. He's more emotional than he likes to put on and he takes things very hard. (Sheesh, just look at Kikyou.) Hmm, and Kagome remembering the situation. Well, that's just something… :mumbles to self: Anyway, of course there will be more angst:ebil grin: Thanks again. )

Maffeoel (Yeah, I hope I didn't overdo the angst. I consider myself a connoisseur of angst; I read it, watch it, write it, listen to it. Hopeless romantic, I am. There's still more ahead for the pair before things gets settled, but as you said, the series is rather angsty so I think I should be okay. And the peace offering is a pretty good idea, lol. "Inuyasha, I brought ramen!" "You're still not forgiven, wench." "Sigh" )

Theblackdemoness (Wow. Five times? Im sorry! I can't help but go "yay me" though, for that sorta was the desired effect… Am glad you enjoy the story though! Thanks for reading!)

priestessmykala (Thanks for reading my ebil chappy. ;p )

nabikineum (Thank you! I'm glad you enjoy it. I think I can manage more po'd Inuyasha, too. lol Will be awhile before he gets down off the po'd train.)

Bejipan (Thanks, Beji. ;)

Koneko8844 (Thanks!)

Angel8818 (Am glad you like it! I lubs the fluff too. It's a hard line, fluff. Its either not fluffy enough, or its so sappy it could choke a horse. But there will be some fluff in Sil, am not sure yet just how much. The only thing I am certain of it the angst (mostly because I'm a cruel btch who likes to torture the characters because angst is my specialty. ;)

jgirl79 (Thank you. Am glad it moved you, is always what I go for. I know most of the feelings from experience as well; I have a pig ex-boyfriend who I have to hear about often because he is friends with my brother. :sigh: Things are okay on the family end; we're still working through a lot and trying everything there is to try. Thanks again for asking. ;)

Damian 2.0 (Thanks. I will. ;)

Ryuu no Taiyo (Crying is good for the soul once in awhile. I know I get irritable if I don't let it out once in awhile. Thanks for reviewing.)

CowgirlUSA (Thanks!)

V-girl1 (Thanks. And an Inu/Kag story, huh:ninja lurk: We'll see. )

Sinh (Thanks, am glad you like.)

nabikineum (Im working on Inuki in between sporking him for not being flexible. Bratty little reincarnation that he is. :snarl: ;)

Kasji-Sama (Hi. I will. Im glad. Thank you and thank you. ;)

sesshouismine (Thank you. I try. ;)

;p

.Tessen.


	6. Stretching the Gap Between Us

What? No real author's note? Well, the short version is that things are still rough here in Tessenland, but I managed to scrape together chapter 6 of Silhouette and 21 of Inuki. That's right guys and gals, if you missed it, Inuki is off hiatus. Is about damn time, too, cause I was about to just kick him in the head until he stopped twitching. Bratty little reincarnation that he is...

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Plain and simple.

Silhouette

Chapter Six : Stretching the Gap Between Us

Once the rains had begun, it seemed that they would never end. Just downpour after downpour spilling from an endless concession of black clouds, until the little town was sick of it. On the third day of rain, Kagome couldn't wait anymore, and decided to go back into the forest.

"Do you want me to ask Kohaku to go with you?" Sango asked as the miko prepared herself to head out into the severe weather. Kagome shook her head, checking again to see if her quiver hung properly against her shoulder. She looked up at Sango.

"I should do it alone. I know Kohaku-kun wouldn't mind, but it's not really his job."

After a moment of silence, Sango asked, "Do you want _me_ to come with you?" Kagome looked up, her expression one of mute wonder. Sango kept her jaw locked, but it was obvious she was becoming emotional.

Kagome shook her head. "No. You said it before. This is my job. I'll go see him. By myself. And I'll get the Hourglass." She smiled, looking optimistic for the first time since she had returned. "We'll go from there."

And with that, Kagome adjusted her bamboo hat, took a deep breath, and then walked out the door.

.n.

Kagome swallowed as she turned about in the forest, a vaguely perturbed frown on her face. Maybe ten or twenty minutes into the trip, a thick fog had drifted in, sinking low between the trees and sticking around for the past few hours. And while the rain was lighter than it had been this morning when she left, it was still falling.

_It's not like it matters now, the miko thought, I'm soaking wet._ She looked much like a wet cat, drenched from head to toe, wearing a death glare underneath frizzy hair. Her shoes were sopping wet, squishing muddy water between her toes each time she took a step, and her socks were clinging to her legs, the wetness mixing with dead leaves and small twigs until her legs were itching so badly she kept having to pause to scratch at her calves.

Underneath this annoyed, itchy exterior though, a deep worry was giving way to fear. _I should've been there by now. It didn't take this long to get there when I went with Shippou-chan… _Kagome turned to her left, peering through the mist in hopes she might catch a glimpse of something familiar. There was nothing but trees, and no matter where she turned, the never-ending brown and gray trunks fading into the fog was all she could see, and the eerie sound of pitter-patters against the leaves above were all she could hear.

"Oh…" The girl couldn't help but let out a small wavering breath, one hand going up to her mouth as she bit her lip. _I'm lost…_

_What am I going to do now?_

.n.

For the third time in the day, the shrill squeal of a child being manhandled broke Sango out of class; with a sigh she apologized yet again to her students and excused herself from the room. On rainy days, to prevent them catching ill, the youngest of the children were condemned to the bedroom in the back of the house, and they tended to get fussy if not harped at at least once every hour.

This time around, the twins Minoru and Satoru had stolen some thing or another from Suzuno. Misa, never the patient one, had taken the item from all three of them and refused to give it back so that she could study. Now all four of them were in the middle of the floor, pulling hair and calling names.

Sango rubbed the arch of her nose, already feeling the headache begin to pound in her temples, and wished ardently that there was another authority figure in the immediate vicinity: Kohaku or Shippou. _Or their father, _she thought glumly, wondering almost like an afterthought where in the world her wayward husband had wandered off to.

"Damn, it is soppy out there!" Sango looked and down the hall; like a godsend Shippou was standing in the door, shaking off the rain. Giving the twins and her eldest orders not to antagonize each other for the next ten minutes, she snatched up Suzuno and headed down the hall with the child on her hip.

"Shippou? Thank goodness you're back, I was wondering if you could help me with the children, because… I need.. to.."

Standing behind Shippou, his hair and clothes hanging drenched with the rain, his ears drooping heavily to accentuate the forlorn expression on his face, was Inuyasha.

When their eyes met, Sango stopped talking completely, one hand coming to her mouth to hide the gasp that leaked out. Inuyasha looked down at the floor and then back again, a husky half-laugh coming from his mouth. "Hey.. Sango."

"Oh, my God." The taijiya finally spoke, setting down her daughter and going to the half-demon. In a unusual display reminiscent of the close friendship they once had, she slipped her arms around his neck, sighing against his shoulder. She was both surprised and pleased when he hugged her back. After a long, silent moment she pulled away and looked him in the eye. "It's been so long. Are you okay?"

Inuyasha nodded quietly, strands of silver rustling around his face. She nodded, swallowing with relief and stepping back from him, the realization of how many years had passed not yet really sinking in. More and more, she was beginning to remember what it had been like to be with everyone, and seeing Inuyasha well made the feelings stronger. "You look different," she told him, giving him a once-over.

"So do you," he replied, "Last time we saw each other, I was the only one with silver hair." A titter ran through the class of students as Sango's face began to mutate into an expression that promised something dreadful. Shippou clapped a hand over his mouth to keep from bursting into laughter; the woman made an distinct annoyed sound and promptly erupted into a angry rant.

"You dog! It's been twenty years! Of course to _you_ I look like an old woman. Damn you and your insane demon anti-aging!"

That garnered a sly smile from the dog, and Sango shook her head with a laugh, feeling light for the first time in days. "Would you like some tea? I'm in the middle of class, but I can put some on really quick--"

"Uh, actually Sango," Shippou interrupted, wiping tears from his eyes, "He's here to see Kagome." The light mood seemed abruptly fragile, and Sango's eyebrows knit in confusion. Eyes flitting to Inuyasha, to Shippou and then back again, she said, "But… she left."

Instantly she regretted her choice of words, because both of them went stark-white, Inuyasha seeming to shrink against the wall. "What do you mean _she left_!" Shippou demanded. Sango let out a little squeak of dismay, waving one hand frantically. "No she didn't _leave_ leave, I mean she left to go see you. This morning."

A look of puzzlement crossed Shippou's face; at the door Inuyasha raised his eyes to Sango, shaking his head. The same puzzled expression reached Sango when he did. "You mean you haven't seen her at all today!" He shook his head again, and Sango went into full worry mode. "But… she's been gone for hours!"

The taijiya felt a pang of heartache, wondering if the miko had left them again, and a rising anger as that thought stewed. More than anything she felt discouraged from speaking this fear aloud; gods knew Inuyasha --all of them, really-- had been through enough of this. It must've showed on her face though, because quietly Inuyasha said, "I don't think she went home, Sango."

The ex-demon hunter caught her breath at his intuition, but she brushed it aside and went to the topic most prominent in her mind. "How do you know?"

"She left her stuff here," he said in a tone that suggested it was the most obvious thing in the world. Slightly stupefied, Sango turned to see Kagome's yellow pack still on the floor in the corner. _I knew that_, she told herself with mild reproach, a deep scowl forming on her lips.

"I'll go look for her," Inuyasha told them, and Shippou nodded.

"Don't you want someone to come with you?" Sango asked.

"No," Inuyasha replied, "It'll be faster if I go by myself. I'll be back in a little while." With that he turned and slipped out of the house. Sango felt her heart sink, not understanding why; she was acutely aware she was wringing her hands.

"Will he be okay by himself?"

"Sure, Inuyasha knows those woods like the back of his hand."

Sango looked out the corner of her eye at the kit when he answered. "You know that's not what I meant." Shippou crossed his arms, looking down at his foster mother through deep auburn bangs. His eyes took on a neutrality that she no longer consciously acknowledged; it was such a cold look and so unlike the child he'd once been but after twenty years, it was just Shippou.

"He wasn't okay three nights ago. I mean.. really _not _okay. He was acting the way he was when she first left. This whole thing is just really fucked up." He looked back out the door, towards the forest where Inuyasha had disappeared into the fog. Sango lowered her eyes to the ground, sighing. _I wonder if what I told her was right… Is this even going to work? Those two being together again…?_

"But," Shippou said, interrupting her thoughts, "that aside, I think he'll be okay… He proved something to me the other night, something I'd always thought but never been sure of."

"What?"

Shippou looked at Sango with a sad smile, locking eyes with hers. "He still loves her."

.n.

"HELLLLLLO?"

Kagome dropped her hands, looking around in the fog with a whimper. Her voice was scratchy from the screaming, but she couldn't help but continue with the hope that someone who knew how to get out of this labyrinth of trees could find where the hell she was and possibly, just maybe, get her back out.

"ANYONE? CAN ANYBODY HEAR ME!"

The only reply she received was the continued rhythm of raindrops on the canopy above, an endless cacophony of a sound that reminded her of steaks sizzling on a grill. Somewhere in the distance, twigs cracked, and Kagome felt a rush of fear. Against her will, her bottom lip began to quiver, and within a few moments her vision was blurry and hot.

_I'm alone. I'm out here by myself and I'm lost and no one's going to come get me. Why would they? I'm not doing anything here but causing everyone trouble._ With a sniffle she slumped to the ground, not caring that the wet ground was soaking into her skirt and that she was covered in mud. She just sat, holding her head in her hands and crying, the tears burning down clammy, cold skin.

_I want to go home. I want to see Inuyasha. I want to have dinner at Kaede-obaachan's house and laugh at Shippou-chan's jokes about Miroku-sama getting slapped again by Sango-chan. I want to sit outside with Inuyasha and look at the stars._

"I miss him so much…" she sobbed, "Inuyasha, where are you?"

"Kagome!"

She gasped, the sound wet and hoarse as she sat up sharply, looking in the direction the voice was coming from. It was faint, in the distance, and all she could see was fog. For a moment, she thought she had imagined it. Until again, louder, she heard, "Kagome! Where are you?"

_He came for me…_

"Inuyasha, I'm here!" she hollered, standing up with a rush of adrenaline, not really sure what direction to project her voice and certainly not allowing relief to flood yet. She kept turning, looking about for any sign he was close, other than his voice which had quieted.

Then, through the fog, a thick red shadow faded into existence, slowly emerging into something that resembled human. She looked up at him as the fog cleared completely, leaving a thoroughly soaked, blank faced adult hanyou staring her in the face. She let out a deep breath she hadn't known she was holding, dismayed by the wavering, weak sound it made as she exhaled.

For a long time neither of them said anything, and the only sounds was the rain, the wind, an occasional wet bird chirping angrily at his drenched situation. Kagome couldn't look at him, afraid to see again what she saw in his eyes three days ago. The hate, the pain, the unbearable expression of vulnerability.

Finally, he spoke. "Let's get out of this rain before you get sick."

Something broke inside of her, and relief poured in buckets through her system. Kagome sobbed once and went quiet, nodding at him through tears and sobs too thick to speak through. Inuyasha just stood there, his hair clinging to his face and shoulders, face giving nothing away. When she had finally regained enough control to speak, she replied,

"Okay."

.n.

The cave was pitch dark as they slipped into it, even though it was mid-afternoon. The rain had lightened to a drizzle now, but the clouds hung low in the sky, shading away the sun. Without a word to her, Inuyasha pulled back the vines covering the entrance and receded into the darkness. Kagome stood at the entrance for a moment, wary that someone or something else was in the cave. It was in the open, an easy target for a bandit or a youkai to claim as its own, and it was so dark inside that if anything was in there, she would never know until it was on her.

"Inuyasha...?"

_Scrrrap!_ Quite suddenly she heard a noise like rocks scraping together, and at the end of the cave she saw a small fire build. Reassured that Inuyasha hadn't been mauled to death by... whatever, she entered the cave and followed tentatively.

He was kneeling by the patch of ground covered with soot and blackened rocks, two or three logs on top of the slowly growing flame. Kagome paused behind him, unsure of what he wanted her to do. After a moment he gestured towards his bed. "Take off those wet clothes, and get under the covers."

She perked for a moment, not at all liking the idea of taking her clothes off in front of him, and outright shocked and outraged he even had the gall to ask. "Hey--"

"Just _do_ it, Kagome, and don't fucking argue. Or get sick and die, like I give a damn." He looked up at her, his eyes glowing a deep yellow, his glare made evermore fierce by that fact. She felt the anger wither as quickly as it had appeared, and then nodded, removing her quiver and bamboo hat.

Then, with a blush as red as the tie on her school blouse, she pulled it up and over her head. Her skirt was next, socks and shoes slipped off and set near her quiver, and before Inuyasha had time to look up, she darted underneath the covers and pulled them up over her head.

"Are you done yet?" the hanyou asked, and she cleared her throat. "Yes."

He glanced up at her, and at the sight of Kagome, the covers pulled all the way up to her face until all he could see was a mop of black hair and a bright red blush underneath, raised his eyebrows.

"You're as ridiculous as ever," he remarked sharply, and Kagome scowled. "You're as uncouth as ever!"

"Keh," he replied, removing his fire-rat robe and arranging it on the line over the fire with Kagome's uniform. For a little while, nothing more was said; Inuyasha settled by the fire and stared at it. Kagome watched him, studying his features in an attempt to understand what he was thinking. _But then, I never could when he was my age, I don't think I could now._

She sat up, wrapping one of the lighter furs around her, and slid off the bed, kneeling in front of the flames across from him. He followed her with his eyes, never moving or speaking, until she had sat down.

"Shippou said you had wanted something from me."

"Yes. What did you do with the hourglass?"

"Hourglass?" The hanyou tested the foreign word, confusion distorting his face for a moment. Kagome shook her head. "I mean, the sand bottle. Miroku-sama said it couldn't be destroyed and so they gave it to you to protect..."

"Yeah. The thing had so much jyaki that he had to seal it before I could take it. Even then, it was pretty hard on me," he replied, and for a moment Kagome wondered what he meant. Three seconds later it hit her. _He's half-demon. If the jyaki was that strong, it would've corrupted him. He would've transformed into a full demon._

"So, you got rid of it?"

Inuyasha nodded, and Kagome bit her lip, contemplating the next move. _I thought this was an open and shut deal. Inuyasha had it, I got it, we dealt with it. But now what?_ She frowned, leaning forward on her knees and gazing blindly into the fire. The flames crackled and popped, but she hardly heard it as she allowed herself to fall deep into thought.

"Oh..." It suddenly came to her that she was jumping ahead of herself, and she looked back up at Inuyasha. "What did you do with it?"

"Gave it to Myouga-jijii," he replied, "He said he knew a place to seal it permanently."

Kagome's eyes lit up. "You still see him sometimes, right?"

"Every now and then."

Kagome clenched her fists in a drastically sedated victory pose, mentally cheering for her good fortune. Things were finally beginning to look up, and she could only smile fondly at the thought of returning to her own normal time.

Across the fire, Inuyasha watched her silently.

Kagome was in her own happy fantasy of returning home, before this awful nightmare of an adventure had begun, when she suddenly heard him ask softly,

"Why did you come back?"

It stunned her momentarily. Then Kagome raised her eyes to his, and cringed inwardly. It was there again, those eyes wrought with emotions that she dreaded. She swallowed past it and rearranged the fur around her shoulders. "I never left."

"Bullshit. I waited for you. I waited for you for two fucking years, and you never came back!"

"I'm telling you, I never left. I went home for three days to take a test and when I came back, this was what I came home to!" Kagome grit her teeth. "Why won't you believe me! Do you really think I would leave you? After everything we had been through together? After I fell in l..."

She stopped short, biting back the words and shocked that she had been about to tell him that. _I can't say that. What good would it do now to tell him I love him?_

Inuyasha gave her an uncertain half-glance and then looked down, his arms half-folded in his lap, a depressed scowl on his face. Kagome hung her head, licking her lips. They were dry. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the journal, carved into the wall. She smiled, genuinely happy with the thought of him writing down their adventures, of remembering the things they had done. _Of course, it's not like I was written in_, she thought miserably, recalling the niche with Tessaiga, and her molested name carving.

"I thought I would never see you again."

His voice was so soft, almost non-existent. She turned back to him, eyes wide. He was... talking, and to her. About his feelings. She had to practically haul him around by his ears before he would talk to her about how he felt about things, and that was when he was normal.

This Inuyasha, whom would be expected to stare holes into her face and grunt if asked any questions, much less speak first, was talking to her willingly.

"I was never sure how I would feel if you came back, but now I am." He looked up, his expression unsure despite what he was saying. "I have to tell you something. I've been waiting for a long time for the chance, but now that you're here..."

"Inuyasha..."

The expression changed suddenly, hardening into an icy glare. "I didn't want you to ever come back. I wish you hadn't."

Kagome felt the stab deep in her chest, and she bit her lip, killing the quiver before it got too far. Inuyasha stood up and went to the wall, settling down again and folding his arms. "Go to sleep. It's late and the rain probably won't stop until tomorrow. We'll head back then."

Kagome nodded, even though she knew he was no longer paying her any mind. She stood, crawling back up onto the bed and settling in, the previously happy thoughts replaced by those of worry and hurt.

_Cheer up, Kagome. I'll always be with you, after all._

Kagome sighed, her feelings mixed as she remembered those words and the sound of his voice as he'd spoken them to her. The scent of his hair, the warmth of his back as he carried her through the streets from the school to her house.

_I want that back._ She opened her eyes, the dark brown orbs centering on Inuyasha, who was already sleeping._ I'll get it back._

…To be continued

a/n : Meh. Not much to say about this one.

Thank yous! Because I love you guys!

Valdimarian (Awh, she's no Deus. ..Okay, so maybe she is. ;) Randomly flipping in and out of time and all. Muaha. I think its funny she reminds you of Shampoo, especially since I've never seen Ranma before. Wouldn't really have anything to base it on. )

Terrasina Dragonwagon (First: I love the name. So cute! Second: thanks for reviewing; I wanna hug Inuyasha too. Poor thing. The torture I put him and the others through!)

enriya (Thanks for the concern about my mom ;) And thanks for reviewing.)

Ryuu no Taiyo (:puts trampoline under the window: Jump away. As long as you dont die or get seriously injured, have a field day. ;)

Black Betty (Trying to update as quickly as I can! ;)

Damian 2.0 (Thank you much.)

sesshoumaru's-hot-date (You mean there wasn't _already_ conflict between Kohaku and Misa? I must not be doing a good job. ;)

PadFootCc (Thank you! Making people cry is part of my job description, good to know I'm fulfilling it. ;)

priestessmykala (Thanks!)

jgirl79 (Thank you, thank you, J-chan! ;) It's always nice to get a review, and your comments always make me all "yay!" As for my deviantart, thank you again. I do what I can. ;)

SuicidelFreak (Thank you for the offer of cookies! ;) And I'm glad you like the story. Thanks for reviewing!)

Kasji-sama (Thanks!)

merkal (Thanks for reviewing!)

Kokoro-and-Rei (Thank you so very much for your prayers. And for your review; I am truly glad you love the story. ;)

KishLover123 (Thank you much.)

Tarinyo's Forest (Wow. Thank you so much for the compliment.)

I hope I didn't forget anybody:embarrassed: If I did, much apologies, and... and cookies! Cookies solve everything, right? ;p And I know it's been awhile since I updated, but if you guys aren't too pissed off, leave me a little review, okay? They make me oh-so happy.

;p

.Tessen.


	7. Strength Renewed

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Plain and simple.

Silhouette

Chapter Seven : Strength Renewed

Footsteps like a cat's, silent and graceful, treaded through the ocean of trees. Though it was night, in this part of the forest not toad nor cricket roused a noise, staying quiet as if standing in awe of the beautiful miko. Kikyou walked on, looking much like a celestial maiden descended straight from her heavenly throne: not one jet black hair was out of place, no dirt smudged her kimono.

Behind her, Kohaku followed, the boy lost in thoughts of his long-lost sister. An expression too old for his eleven years was on his face, and a deep sadness and a maturity that no child Kikyou had ever known to possess could be seen in his eyes. After traveling with him for this short time the miko had realized how unfit for this battle Kohaku was, not in skill or experience, but in spirit. _He truly is not a fighter,_ she thought, _but a peaceful boy._

A twig cracked ahead, and Kikyou snapped back to attention, gray eyes centering to the front. She waited only a split second more before drawing her an arrow and taking aim in the darkness. "Come out, mononoke, I know you're there."

"Awh," came a gentle voice, though flawed by the double echo, "You spoil all the fun, miko-sama." Out of the shadows appeared a beautiful, white-skinned woman. Kikyou's eyes narrowed at the unfamiliar attire the woman wore; it was not that of Japanese origin, and her hair was done in the most peculiar style she'd ever seen, the long white strands woven very meticulously into beads of every shade of red there was. Despite the unassuming, childlike smile, Kikyou was not deterred.

"Kohaku," she commanded gently, and in silent obedience, behind her she heard the clinking of chain as the young demon hunter readied his weapon. He came up beside her, bowed down low, his eyes never leaving the beautiful demon.

"Kohaku," the woman said comfortingly, her words doubling as if in echo, spoken at the same time. "The child with no future... Whose life depends on a tiny shard in his back..." Both miko and taijiya tensed, wondering how the demon knew that particular detail of Kohaku's existence. Kikyou's fingers tightened at the end of the arrow shaft as, from the shadow of the trees, appeared another demon.

This one was enormous, a looming monster with dark, glistening skin and a grinning, gaping maw full of serrated teeth. The hair on its head was shaggy and red, curling around two large black horns that swept back. The limbs were long and gangly, the knuckles dragging the ground. And on its back was the immediately recognizable burn scar in the shape of a spider.

_Naraku's mark!_

"Naraku sent you." It was not a question.

"I don't really remember if that happened," the woman teased, the sweet smile turning devilish. "You'll beat it out of me now, then?"

"Fool!" Kikyou's cry was accentuated by the sound of the bowstring snapping back. The woman didn't move as the arrow shot straight towards her, purifying spiritual energy coming off it in waves. Kikyou grit her teeth, both confused and vaguely horrified that the demon wasn't making any attempt to defend itself from what would be a lethal shot...

At the last second the calmly woman stepped a single pace to her right, her eyes never leaving Kikyou's as if trying to prove something to her. The arrow struck the woman's upper arm, lodging itself deeply in the flesh. She let out a soft cry of pain, but still didn't look away. The miko got the message.

_She's... not a demon!_

"What do you think of that... Kikyou..?" the woman growled out, ripping the arrow out of her arm and leaving a stream of blood rushing down the pale skin. "Did I just put a hitch in your plans?"

"What are you?" Kikyou demanded, and the woman just smiled.

"Attack, Shikage."

The inhuman demon ran forward, slashing out with his claws towards Kohaku. The boy darted backwards to dodge, drawing the battle away from Kikyou. The miko gasped as the demon, without so much as a glance towards her, followed Kohaku. "Kohaku!" She started after him, reaching up for an arrow to purify the demon.

"Oh no you don't," came that irritating double-voice, and Kikyou turned back to the woman to find her charging towards her. Unused to martial combat, the undead miko barely was able to stumble out of the way, landing hard on the ground and dropping her bow. It slid out of reach, and as she flipped around to regain her footing, the woman was at her again. She had no weapons, but as a fierce punch whizzed back her cheek, Kikyou quickly realized the white woman may not need one.

_My spiritual power won't work against her because she's human... Then..._

In an amateurish swing, Kikyou punched at her attacker, and the white woman laughed. "You're a miko, you foolish woman, you don't have any experience in hand-to-hand combat!" With ease the white woman caught Kikyou's wrist and twisted it. The miko made a soft noise of pain, scrabbling at the iron-like grip of her opponent. The woman centered cold red eyes on her, the expression disgusted. "Don't try to cross over into my territory of fighting."

.n.

Meanwhile, Kohaku glanced behind him. The demon, Shikage, was still following him, letting out a guttural roar as it clomped and stomped behind him. _This should be far enough_, the boy thought, spinning to face his enemy and letting fly the chain-blade.

The creature dodged, rushing forward and swinging its long, deadly claws for Kohaku's head. The exterminator easily dodged the cumbersome maneuver, running to the side where the creature against swiped at him arbitrarily. The lack of fighting spirit was more than enough to confuse Kohaku.

_It's hardly attacking me, _the eleven-year-old realized, yet again dodging a lame attempt at an attack. _If Naraku sent it to capture me, or the Shikon shard in my back, wouldn't it be trying harder to kill me? Unless..._

Kohaku leapt upwards, landing nimbly on a thick tree branch as Shikage went pounding in the dirt and rocks beneath him. He dropped back down just as quickly, throwing out the blade again and shanking off Shikage's head. It let out a short, terrible screech as the blade's edge cut deep into the flesh of its throat, and then went silent as the head dropped to the ground. The body followed suit.

Kohaku caught his blade, shaking it once to clear off the blood, then took off for the clearing where the demons had first appeared. _It's not me! Kikyou-sama is the target, not me!_

.n.

Kikyou grit her teeth, eyes flitting back and forth as she struggled to recall where her bow had fallen. Not too far, but still too far to reach while this eerie, pale wench had her. The many battles she'd had with Inuyasha on her side rushed through her mind's eye, and with a strange growl, she kicked out, sweeping the woman's legs out from underneath her.

"Aah!" She went down hard, her guard dropped, and Kikyou hurried to her bow, snatching up the wooden weapon. She could already sense the woman behind her, and she swung around, bringing the bow around, fingers already catching an arrow and setting it to the bow. In the span of about two seconds she'd aimed and fired.

Even as the woman's pained grunt sounded in her ears, a paper talisman was slapped upon her mouth. Kikyou felt a sickening jolt of numbness sweep through her, and her arms dropped limply to her sides. Sweat beading her forehead, the woman smiled, kneeling to catch Kikyou as her legs gave out.

"Shh..." she whispered, laying the miko down, "Sweet little Kikyou... How cruel of you to shoot me... Just for that... The dream I'll give you..." She smirked, "...it won't be pleasant. _Toki no naka no yami wa kokoro o nomeru, yami no naka no maboroshi wa me ga mienai ni naru._"

Kikyou's gray eyes slipped shut. The woman smirked as she released Kikyou's shoulders, letting her fall unceremoniously to the ground like a limp rag doll. She stood to her full height, wincing when the movement in her stomach muscles caused a fresh rush of white-hot pain. Blood was already soaking her white robes, and she whimpered as she pulled the arrow out of her side. A rustle in the bushes caught her attention, and deep red eyes met those of Kohaku.

"Ki...Kikyou-sama!"

He rushed towards her, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his weapon when she slid behind him as quickly as a shadow, and chopped the back of his neck. Kohaku gasped once and collapsed. After a moment, the woman bent down to ruffle his dark hair.

"Sorry kiddo, your part in this show is over."

.n.

As the faint sounds of morning stirred into her hearing, the crickets and toads giving way to the birds, Kagome found herself not wanting to move. A deep warmth fixed her in place, softness below and around her, a gentle familiarity and hominess to the bed on which she slept. Just the same, she began to rouse, and opened her eyes slowly.

Only to flinch wide awake suddenly and lean back a little.

Sitting at the side of the bed, his face resting on the mattress of fur, was Inuyasha. Her entire body tensed, afraid she'd woken him when she jerked awake, but he simply nuzzled against the bed and went still. _Oh.. he's still asleep, _she thought, relaxing. She settled back against the pillow, studying his face. From up close, it was even more obvious how much he'd grown.

_His face user to be a little wider, and the line of his nose wasn't that long. _She half-smiled, stifling a giggle that bubbled up. _And the lines under his eyes deepened. A couple more years and he'll start looking like an old man._

Kagome sombered, looking away.

_I didn't want you to ever come back. I wish you hadn't._

_Why did he have to say something so mean to me? It's not as if I didn't already know he hates me, but he had to dig in his claws? Figuratively speaking of course..._ She started to sit up, already going through in her mind the next step. They had to find Myouga-jiichan, since according to Inuyasha he'd given it to the flea who'd sealed it away. _Let's just hope he remembers where he sealed it_.

As she slid off the bed, Kagome realized her hand was caught. She tugged gently at it, but when that failed, she tugged harder. Whatever held her fast tightened, not hard enough to hurt, but certainly hard enough to keep her from pulling away. She glanced down momentarily to see what it was, and was surprised by the sight of Inuyasha's hand clasping hers.

_What.. _she half-thought_, Didn't he just tell me last night that he didn't want me here?_

"...nmh... Kagome..."

Inuyasha nuzzled deeper into the pelt on his bed, his sleepy murmurs dying in the strands of brown fur. Kagome blushed, a tempest of emotions fighting for dominance in her mind. Confusion, embarrassment, relief, and more confusion-- _why is he holding my hand? Doesn't he... hate me?_

_Could it be... he's lying to me?_

All thought processes screeched to a complete halt when Inuyasha awoke. For a moment she considered slumping backwards and pretending to be asleep, but that idea went directly down the drain when he looked up drowsily to meet her face. Sinking into the floor was out, so dashing into the forest and hiding seemed to be her only acceptable option.

"Kagome..." The girl in question saw the very moment he snapped back to complete consciousness; a familiar insecure scowl that made him look like a pouting child slammed into place and he snatched his hand back as if he'd touched something scalding hot.

"What..." He mumbled, looking around for an explanation to his being there, and Kagome shook her head, looking away. "You were there when I woke up."

"Keh," was his only reply as he stood, going to the line over the now-cold embers of last night's fire and retrieving their clothes. He tossed hers at her --which Kagome only now remembered she wasn't wearing-- and grabbed his own robe. "Let's go back to the village."

Kagome nodded, but grimaced as she looked over her clothes. The mud had dried on, and dead leaves and pine needles were now sticking out of the dried clods. She pulled them on slowly, her insides curling like plastic against a flame at the feel of the scratchy, itchy, dirty cotton. _When we get back, I'm shipping these out for washing and taking a nice long bath! This is just gross._

As she grabbed her shoes and socks, out of the corner of her eye she saw Inuyasha standing in front of the niche where Tessaiga was shoved out of sight. The hanyou neither moved nor spoke until one wavering hand reached out and closed around the sheathe. For a long moment he held the katana in both hands, feeling the weight, the shape of it.

Kagome pressed her lips together, silently watching him. He seemed nostalgic, and the look in his eyes as he gazed at the sword was almost apologetic. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, he slipped it into his belt and turned to her. "Let's go already, Kagome. Hurry up."

"R-right! Wait for me, I'm coming." As she tugged on her socks and shoes, holding herself up against the cave wall, she glanced up to see him standing against the light, his silhouette dusky. The extension of Tessaiga at his hip, sorely missed from this first week, made her smile.

_Still a long way before he's his old self again though_, whispered a tiny voice. She acknowledged its existence, but pushed it back, not wanting to let go of the small delight she took in his much-welcomed first step.

.n.

The end of the rains brought a glorious new morning, the black clouds dispersing and the sun stretching out warm rays reassuringly to the world below. Bathed of anger and grief, the world began anew again, glittering golden from the drops scattered everywhere.

"Thank the gods you're alright!"

As Inuyasha and Kagome emerged from the forest, Miroku was standing by the door of his house. At his feet was Kirara, whom Kagome had yet to see in the days since she returned. The little cat-demon seemed as cute and energetic as ever, because she gave a mew and pounced over to the miko's feet.

"Kirara!" Kagome knelt to pick the feline up, and Kirara nuzzled into her throat, mewling and purring. It was apparent that she'd missed Kagome just as much as everyone else, and the teenager smiled sadly. "I missed you too. Where have you been?"

"A few days before you came back, one of our students was on a mission with Kirara several villages back. I went to pick them up yesterday," Miroku explained, and Kagome made a soft mouthing, Oh. His light-hearted expression changed then, becoming more fatherly and stern. "You gave us a scare though, not coming back last night. Where were _you_?"

Kagome laughed sheepishly, biting the end of her tongue. "Sorry to have worried you, Miroku-sama."

"Kagome-chan's back?" Sango's relieved voice wafted out from the house, and she appeared at the door as she rolled up the shade. Immediately her eyes fell on the girl's muddy appearance, and she looked her over with a grimace before finally looking up to meet Kagome's eyes. "Kagome-chan, what happened? You're covered with mud." Kagome blushed, reaching up to scratch at her cheek.

"Well…It's sort of hard to explain." Telling Sango that she had been sitting in the mud crying like a baby when Inuyasha found her suddenly seemed very ridiculous.

The ex-taijiya shrugged, obviously not too concerned after all. Ignoring her filthy state completely Miroku gesturing towards the back of the house. "By the way, Kagome-sama, Kohaku was asking about you. He was rather worried. You might want to go back and let him know you're alright."

"I'll do that now!" Kagome said, setting Kirara down and heading to the yard in the back of the house where the houshi had indicated. The three of them watched her head behind the house, and then Miroku sighed. "Kohaku's really taken with Kagome-sama."

"We'd better nip that in the bud now, don't you think?" Sango wondered, and abruptly Inuyasha cleared his throat. It startled the two of them, causing them to both turn to face him with sheepish grins.

"Did you forget I was here?" he wondered dangerously, the huskiness of his tone covered by Miroku's nervous laugh. Despite the hurried "Of course not" Miroku provided, the hanyou cursed under his breath and folded his arms. "If you guys are just going to ignore me, why the hell am I here again, anyway?"

Sango tipped her head sympathetically, opening her mouth to speak, but her husband beat her to the punch. "Because we need you here, with us."

Inuyasha looked up, and Miroku gave him a sincere smile. "It's been a very long time."

"Yeah... it has." The hanyou grinned as well.

.n.

Considering the time they lived in, and the meager existence of most of the village, Sango and Miroku actually had quite a fine home. It was bigger than the standard, partly because of the many children they had, and partly because Sango's classes as a taijiya instructor. In addition, the back yard was an exercise station for the exterminators in training.

It was there Kagome found Kohaku. He'd slipped out of the top of his red clothing, tucking it into his belt. Three other students, one girl and two boys, were adorned in their taijiya armor, standing around him in a circle. The young miko stood at the corner for a long time, watching. It was obvious Kohaku was helping train his mother's students.

"Kohaku-senpai, this armor is heavy."

"And hot," whined one of the boys.

"Don't complain," he reprimanded, "You have to get used to wearing it. Now. Amaya, when Matsu attacks me, you will come in from behind," he instructed, speaking to the girl. Then he turned to the smaller of the boys. "Aki, you will attack me from my front left while Matsu attacks from the front right."

"In all this heavy stuff we're not going to land any hits."

"Boy, you three are pessimistic today," Kagome heard him say. He sounded disappointed. "Just shut your mouths and do what I tell you. Now... GO!"

Any dissent was gone immediately as the three of them launched towards the oldest, and Kohaku stood still for a moment. Then he slipped to the right, grabbing nine-year-old Matsu by the back of his uniform and leaving seven-year-old Amaya to crash into her brother Aki, who was the same age.

Kohaku flipped Matsu over his head, slamming him into the ground. Recovering from their bonked heads, Amaya and Aki darted at Kohaku's exposed back, attacking the backs of his knees. Kohaku wobbled for a moment, regained his balance and flipped backwards, executing a perfect handstand. The kids slipped off his legs and crashed down onto Matsu.

Kohaku flipped back up and raised one judgmental eyebrow at them. "That was pitiful," he stated matter-of-factly. Matsu peered past Aki and Amaya's legs up at the older exterminator with a wilted expression.

"Senpai, you cheated."

"What, did you think I was going to stand there and let you beat me up? I told you this was an exercise to get you used to wearing the armor, not to coddle you into thinking this would be simple. Fighting demons is hard and dangerous. And if you can't even be serious when fighting me, how do you expect to fight a youkai?"

The crumpled pile of kids just whimpered.

Kagome laughed, surprised that nice, thoughtful Kohaku-kun could be so serious, and the boy heard it. A worried, surprised expression crossed his face, covered by the fierce blush coloring his cheeks. "Kagome-sama...?"

"Ah, I'm caught," the girl said teasingly, coming out from the corner. She walked over to the clearing and stopped by the taller boy. "Good morning, Kohaku-kun. I didn't mean to interrupt your class--" Kagome was cut off, because quite suddenly Kohaku's arms were wrapped around her. A blush to match his rose on her face, and she turned to look up at him. "Ko.. haku-kun...?"

"I was so worried about you, Kagome-sama. When you didn't come back last night I thought something might've happened to you." She heard a relieved sigh. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Kohaku-kun..."

From the same corner of the house Kagome had been standing, Inuyasha watched silently.

.n.

"So let me get this straight..."

The fire crackled around the new logs that had been put on it, and Miroku stirred at them with the poker. Sitting with him around the hearth was everyone but Inuyasha, who was sitting in the corner wearing his trademark quiet scowl, and the youngest of the children, who had been sent to bed already. Kagome had bathed and was wearing her pajamas until her clothes finished drying.

Shippou paused to sip the tea Sango had served and then looked at Inuyasha. "Okay, so you gave the hourglass to Myouga-jii?"

"Years ago," Inuyasha admitted, "It was getting rough on me."

"I thought it might. We should never have given it to you," Miroku said dismally, a pessimistic frown crossing his aged features. Inuyasha growled under his breath, recognizing the houshi's mood.

"Don't get all mushy on me, monk. What's done is done. The point is, I gave the thing to Myouga, I don't have it anymore. He told me he was going to seal it away."

"Right," Kagome added, looking over at Shippou. "So I was thinking, if we get Myouga-jiichan to unseal it, then we could deal with it."

"Kagome-chan, I hate to be the one to break your optimism, but really what is your plan of 'dealing with it?'" Sango gave the girl an uncertain glance. "The goal is to break the spell, but we all tried to destroy the hourglass twenty years ago. I still don't see the point of searching for the hourglass."

"Well, I've been thinking about it. You guys all said that Inuyasha tried attacking it, right? If its jyaki was so powerful, wouldn't a barrage of negativity --like an attack-- only add to its strength?" The young woman looked at Miroku. "I was thinking, if Miroku-sama and I combine our spiritual power we might be able to destroy it."

"So we're laying all our hopes on 'might.'" Kagome raised her eyes to Inuyasha's, and the hanyou's glare stayed on her, the blank chill unwavering in his eyes. The tension in the room was slowly creeping past palpable, and the others all fidgeted in the sudden uneasy silence. Kagome grit her teeth, her eyes dropping to stare at the wood. _There's no reason to cry, _she reassured herself, taking a deep breath. She swallowed.

"No. Not might. It _will_ work." She looked up at him. "I have to make it work." The determination in her voice earned her a reaction from the blasé hanyou; he raised one eyebrow, giving her a look-over before sighing and turning away.

"Do what you want, I don't care."

Sango could practically hear the death rattle of the optimism in the room. The maternal instincts that had been nurtured and fine-tuned to perfection over eighteen years of raising children desperately wanted to kick in, grab an ear in each hand --one belonging to Inuyasha, the other to Kagome-- and give sharp yanks before demanding an apology and that they play nice with each other.

These two were not her son and daughter however; they were her friends. Moreover, the situation was far more complicated than Minoru or Satoru refusing to share a sweet treat with Suzuno or Misa and Choumei getting into a fight; this was a lovers' quarrel that had been stretched through twenty years and a broken trust.

_Much harder to mend than a sibling rivalry spat... _the ex-taijiya nodded to herself. At her side, she heard her husband, obviously feeling the tension as much as she, clear his throat. "So.. How are we going to work this out?"

" 'Work this out?'" Kagome repeated, looking at him with a look of wonder. "Meaning...?"

"What I mean is that someone has to go to Myouga and get the Hourglass," Miroku elaborated, "This isn't exactly the search for the Shikon shards, it shouldn't need that much of a party. But I don't imagine you and Inuyasha would want to go by yourselves, would you Kagome-sama?"

At that simple suggestion, Kagome's mental processes screeched to a halt the way a semi screeches to a halt to spare a squirrel from a fate as greasy roadkill: harshly and with whiplash injuries. _Not the way we are now, no!_

Seeing the horrified look on her face, Shippou grinned sheepishly at the houshi. "Don't think that's such a good idea, Miroku. Someone should definitely go with them."

"I'll go," Kohaku offered.

"NO!" Both Miroku and Sango yelled, startling everyone. Each instantly realized the confusion such an overreaction caused, and Sango cleared her throat, elbowing Miroku in the ribs. The houshi gave her a half-glare. "I mean.. No. Kohaku, I need you here."

"What for?" The boy asked, obviously not placated with a simple order on his mother's part; he wanted a reason. Sango grit her teeth, hiding what would've been a bitten lip instead; she hadn't thought that far ahead.

"You'll do as your mother says," Miroku assisted, his expression stern. "If she says she needs you here, she does." Sango gave her husband an appreciative half-glance for exerting his paternal authority and then looked back at her eldest child with a gentler expression.

"Kohaku, I have class. And the kids to take care of. And you usually help me with the latter, so you can't go traipsing all over the place. Best to let Shippou go."

Across the room, the kit was nodding along up until the last part, at which his head snapped up. "Wait, what?" He sat up, his expression one of pure mortification, clawed hands raised in a gesture of surrender. "Why me?"

Sango made a deep growling noise in her throat, one that Shippou had learned over the years meant she was getting aggravated. It was her Angered Mother noise. He winced at the noise, and cooled down for all of a moment before she slowly stood up, taking up the pail. "Oh, look at that," she began without even the remotest tone of surprise, "We're out of water. Shippou, come with me to fetch some?"

The kit blinked for a moment and then stood up and went to the door. "Uhm.. Sure."

.n.

Once outside and safely out of Inuyasha's earshot, Sango turned to Shippou. "Shippou, please do this for me. I need you to go with them."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" The kit demanded, "The tension in there is enough to choke me. I feel like if either of them say anything, his head or her head or my head-- _someone's_ head is gonna explode. And you want me to spend possible _weeks_ searching the terrain for a potentially-harmful relic that is _this_ big--" he pinched his forefinger and thumb together, "--that happens to be covered in so much jyaki that it almost turned Inuyasha into a demon when he touched it, much like what it might do to me?"

"Shippou, _please_. I _can't _send Kohaku."

"Why not? The kid's tough. You can't baby him forever, Sango; I know he's your brat and all, but he's a man already--"

"Right, a man who has feelings for Kagome-chan."

At this Shippou frowned, his eyes turning to ice. For a long moment he regarded Sango with an uncertain glance, trying to find some humor in what she was saying. He found none, and that bothered him.

"Are you sure...?"

"Watch him with her. You'll know."

Shippou tried to swallow, but his throat had closed up with Sango's statement. He was suddenly acutely aware of how unfair it would be to Kohaku, to send him on a journey with a woman who by all rights should be twenty years his elder. Kagome could never look at Kohaku as anything other than her best friend's child, even if she hadn't been in love with Inuyasha.

How unfair was it to Kohaku to make him accompany a man who --despite all his desperate attempts to hate her-- still loved Kagome? Inuyasha was a jealous, fight-happy maniac, and that was on a good day, when he wasn't a discombobulated mess of confused emotion.

That didn't even delve into the injustice of sending Kohaku to look for the very thing that created this alternate time. They were going to destroy it, in essence destroying him, destroying everything that he knew. Of course he couldn't let him go. It seemed like some sick game of suicide for the boy.

Sango could see when Shippou consented: his tail sagged a bit behind him and his expression wilted. She spoke again, this time to say the words that would lay it in stone for him. "They need someone who traveled with them before all this. Someone who understands them, who _loves _them, to go with them."

Shippou nodded in mute accord. Sango continued. "Kohaku doesn't understand what they used to be like, and it would confuse him. Not to mention the situation it would create with Inuyasha."

Shippou couldn't help but smile, though it was grim. "He'd kill him."

Sango clicked her tongue under her breath, a ghost of an eyeroll following. "Yes well, he's never been all that good at reining in his temper." Shippou gave her a knowing glare, one that reminded the ex-taijiya how often in his youth Shippou had been reminded of that particular trait of Inuyasha's. Blows to the head over an ill-spoke word was just a part of Shippou's daily routine as a child, so it was no wonder he was wary of traveling with the hanyou again.

To herself, Sango thought dismally, _Who would want to?_

.n.

The next morning broke much like the previous day: without the stormclouds hovering in the area, it was a gorgeous, sun-lit morning. The ground was still wet from the days of rain, but the mud had hardened a little thanks to yesterday's full day of hot sunshine, and today's weather was moderate. A little wind from the east, a few fluffy white clouds hanging in the direction the black rainclouds had fled.

Kagome had spent the evening sorting through her backpack, removing the items she wouldn't need. Wistfully she looked at her schoolbooks. She'd brought them to study for the tests she had in the present day: a history exam, math test and a review exam in science.

For the first time since her journey to the past had begun, studying was far from the front of her mind. Like the unwarranted guilt that had plagued her for the past several days, she felt an unaccustomed disgust take hold in her mind. Disgust at herself, for running home all the time to study. Wasn't Inuyasha right? Finding the Shikon shards and Naraku was infinitely more important than her stupid books, wasn't it?

_No_, part of her disagreed, _one day this will be over, and I'll go home. I have to have a life there_.

_You're wrong_, the newer part said, gaining voice for the first time. _You're a dishonest, untrustworthy bitch. You left them because you don't care. You disgust me_.

"Kagome-sama?"

Kagome snapped out of her trance, dropping the books on the floor with a shrill squeak of surprise. She lifted her gaze to meet Miroku, who was standing in the doorway, gawping at her with a wide-eyed stare, one hand over his heart. He looked startled. "Miroku-sama!" She cried, "You scared me."

"_I_ scared _you_?" the monk repeated incredulously, "Don't yelp like that so suddenly, I'm an old man." Kagome rolled her eyes, picking up her dropped books and moving them aside along with the other things she'd decided to leave behind, mostly school-related items. She rechecked the bag, confirming that everything on her list --including food and first aid kit-- was inside and properly stowed. Then she tied it closed and got to her feet, swinging up the pack and slipping her arms through the loops. Over that went her quiver and bow, which she slung more loosely than the pack; she needed to be able to draw it quickly,

"By the way, what did you need?" She asked, and the monk shook his head. "Nothing. Inuyasha and Shippou asked me to tell you that they're ready to leave whenever you are." Kagome nodded, taking a deep breath.

"Are you nervous?" Miroku asked, and Kagome shook her head. "Nope. Fine." Her friend raised his eyebrows questioningly and she flushed. "Okay, maybe a little . I think I'm being too optimistic, too naive, in thinking I'll be back within a week or so. What if this takes a long time? What if we can't find it at all?"

"Keep your optimism, Kagome-sama," Miroku said gently, "It is, after all, your strong point. You were always a ray of light when we were together before, and I'm sure that you will be as strong now." The reassuring smile he gave her reminded Kagome of her father's, and she nodded once energetically.

"Thank you Miroku-sama. I'll do my best."

"That's all anyone can ask of you."

The miko followed the monk out of the house and paused for a moment at the top of the hill to look out over the village. Down the stream bed was the fork of the crossroads, where the two paths separated into the western road that led to town and the southern road that led to elsewhere. It was here that Inuyasha and Shippou were waiting for her.

Beyond the stream, the pathway south continued off into the distance, so far out that Kagome couldn't see the end. All that lay in sight was a long breadth of fields, patches of scattered forest and shrubbery clustering on the landscape. The wide unknown was briefly terrifying, but the desire to return to her time was ever so much stronger. She straightened her shoulders and then followed Miroku down the hill.

At the banks of the stream, she noticed Sango and the children were also there to see them off, and Shippou was saying goodbye to the twins. All of the children seemed terribly displeased that their playmate was leaving for an undisclosed amount of time, especially Misa. The sixteen-year-old wore a heartbroken expression.

"Shippou-san, do you have to go...?"

The kit grinned at her. "Misa, I won't be gone long. Besides, Kagome is my friend. Friends help each other." He gently petted her hair, and the junior exterminator sniffled as unbidden tears warmed in her eyes. The kit gave hair-touslings to each of the boys --Choumei, Minoru and Satoru-- and then looked tall Kohaku square in the eye. Little Suzuno was in his arms. "Kohaku, keep an eye on them, 'kay?"

"I will," the boy replied. Shippou grinned at him, "Don't do anything I wouldn't." By now Kagome and Miroku had reached the foot of the hill, and Inuyasha opened his eyes to focus a bored glare on her. He snorted.

"Took you long enough."

"We can't all have our pants in a wad," Kagome replied, which caused the hanyou to raise an eyebrow in irritation, but he had no retort ready.

Shippou turned to the young miko. "Are we all ready to go?" He asked, to which she responded with an ardent nod.

Inuyasha stepped forward, arms still folded. "Then let's go." He started down the path, Shippou and Kagome following hesitantly. The schoolgirl turned back once, eyes fixing on the little family who watched them leave, and bit her lip.

_I wonder if this is the last time I will see them...? _She shook her head, chasing those thoughts away. Whether she failed or succeeded, she knew she would see them again one day. With a bright smile, she lifted her arm in a wave.

"See you later!"

The seven of them waved back, voices raising in a hopeful cheer of goodbyes. Strength renewed, Kagome turned towards Inuyasha and Shippou, and didn't look back again.

…To be continued

a/n :

Thank you all for reading and reviewing! I love the compliments!

;p

.Tessen.


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